Effects of Using Lipsticks with any Lead Content on the BRCA1 Gene Mutations

Introduction:  Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women. Variations in the BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, STK11 and TP53 genes increase the risk of developing breast cancer. In addition to specific genetic changes, environmental factors may influence an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer. Lead is one of the most dangerous chemicals in the air as well as many products, such as cosmetics. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate BRCA1 gene mutations in 9 rats receiving different doses of lead in the lipstick, compared to the control group.   Materials & Methods:  In this case-control study, 12 female Wistar rats with mean weight of 250 g were randomly divided into 4 groups of control (1) and the rats receiving low (2), average (3) and high doses (4) of lead in lipstick according to the measurements by the American  Food and Drug Administration. Groups 2, 3, and 4 received lead acetate in their drinking water for 2 months on a daily basis. Afterward, DNA from blood samples was extracted and the BRCA1 gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. All PCR products were sequenced to investigate the genomic changes. Ethics code: IR.UMZ.REC.1397.48   Findings: The results of the sequencing showed no nucleotide changes in the BRCA1 sequences in the experimental and control groups.   Discussion & Conclusions: According to the results, none of the doses of lead in lipstick change the BRCA1 gene. There may have been changes in other parts of the gene that have not been investigated in this study. Moreover, it is also possible that the same amounts of lead in the long run cause changes in the gene sequence.