ARSENIC TOXICITY- A POSSIBLE SUSCEPTIBLE FACTOR FOR OCCURRENCE OF DOWN SYNDROME
Priyanka Biswas*, Amit Kumar Chakraborty, Gargi Podder and Madhusnata De
ABSTRACT
Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common live-born birth defect in humans and serious autosomal chromosome aberration compatible with post-natal survival. Recent studies have suggested that DS birth is attributable to different environmental factors. A possible association between the etiology of DS and potential role of heavy metal, especially arsenic has been found, but there is limited understanding of these complicated association. The aim of the present study was to examine levels of arsenic in hair of DS child and also investigate the relationship between DS and other risk factors including socio-economic status, maternal age, and literacy of mothers of DS cases.A case-control study of 84 Down syndrome (DS) cases and their parents in West Bengal, India was conducted. 12 healthy controls were also included in the study. All procedures were done with the informed consent of participants' parents. DS children participated in the study were confirmed after performing karyotyping. For arsenic estimation, hair samples were obtained from DS cases, controls and their parents. It was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The current study showed that the parents of DS child had significantly high levels of arsenic in hair samples, either in body burden level or toxic level of arsenic. Most of the DS child had high concentration of arsenic, whereas the parents of healthy child had normal level of arsenic.High levels of arsenic (body burden level and toxic level) present in the body of parents may be an etiological factor for development of DS in the offspring.
Keywords: Down Syndrome, Arsenic, Karyotyping, Body burden, Toxic.
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