Fuente: PubMed "Tobacco production" Chem Biol Interact. 2025 Oct 22;420:111674. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2025.111674. Epub 2025 Jul 25.ABSTRACTTobacco production is a major activity in southern Brazil, where rural workers are routinely exposed to harmful compounds such as pesticides, nicotine, and tobacco-specific nitrosamines. These substances are associated with DNA damage, primarily through oxidative stress. However, the role of inflammation in this process remains unclear. This study evaluated inflammatory responses in rural workers handling dry tobacco and investigated associations with previously observed oxidative stress and DNA damage markers. A total of 86 individuals participated, including exposed and control groups. The exposed group showed significantly elevated levels of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, MCP-1, and IL-18) compared to controls. Sex-specific differences were also found, with men presenting higher inflammatory marker levels. In exposed individuals, IL-6 and IL-1β were negatively correlated with body mass index and waist-to-height ratio. IL-1β also showed a positive correlation with DNA damage (Comet assay) and rubidium levels, while IL-18 was negatively correlated with the frequency of micronuclei. Additionally, IL-1β and IL-6 were negatively correlated with nuclear buds, and TNF-α was positively correlated with nucleoplasmic bridges. Sex-specific correlations were observed between inflammatory markers and cellular damage: in men, TNF-α and MCP-1 were positively associated with NBUD, while IL-1β showed a negative correlation; in women, MCP-1 was positively correlated with lipid peroxidation (TBARS), and IL-6 was negatively associated with apoptosis. These findings suggest that handling dry tobacco induces inflammation and oxidative stress, contributing to DNA damage in exposed workers. Understanding the relationship between these biological processes may provide insights into health risks associated with occupational tobacco exposure.PMID:40716627 | DOI:10.1016/j.cbi.2025.111674