Is there any disease in adult human, other-than cancer, which-is resulted from mutation?

Question

On all environmental articles I read about 3 impacts of mutagens (say Cigarette/ Naphthalene/ EtBr/ Colchicine/ ionizing radiation/ whatever )...**1**. direct effect on tissues, other than mutation, such-as burns, choke, cirrhosis of liver, Lesion in lungs etc. (**no direct relation with mutation**)**2**. Mutation affecting development of organs and intelligence, in youngs; and hidden mutation not affecting adults but showing expression (**birth-defects**) in **future progeny**.and **3**. **Tumor and Cancer.****Now, my question is,** if an adult become exposed to some mutagen; the only visible effect of mutation (**not** about burns etc, talking about genetic-mutation) ... **on that affected-individual**; whether **cancer is the only-possible disease**? or it is possible to occur **some-other sort of genetic disease** (**not** about future **but only to that particular affected-one**)------------------**anything else should happen** ... say exact opposite thing... uncontrolled apoptosis that gradually kills whole affected person (for say). or for say due to a genetic-damage a person became unable to perform cell-division, so no wound healing. If once part of body become cut, and it remain open forever, never seals. (I never heard or read anywhere). **instead of cell-death**, they could perform some-**other malfunctions**, too. Like **turning-off certain normal function**, say stopped **transport** of certain molecule, or say stopped a function like **color-vision**, or start to **secrete / accumulate some metabolites** same-way as inborn error of metabolism?But could anything such happen other-than cancer?

Answer 1

Let me take a stab at this. The short answer as noted in the first response is yes, there can be other manifestations, but let me clarify using ionizing radiation as an example. Cancer is a stochastic disease; that is, it is based on probabilities of increased risk. Exposure to low-dose radiation above occupational health standards may lead to increased risk of developing cancer. However, there are a whole host of confounding factors. For example, a study was conducted years ago about cancer rates in uranium miners. It was determined that the real threat was the radon gas in the mines, and in the day. most miners smoked. Was there an increased risk of cancer later on in life? Probably, but do to what factor? How much exposure also factors in, and I would say this applies to other mutagens as well. The thing is, low-dose, occupational exposures produce effects only manifested in middle age+ if at all.

High dose radiation gets us into acute radiation syndrome where effects are manifested quickly, and is directly related to cell death of rapidly dividing cells such as stem cells in the bone marrow and intestinal epithelial cells. (more on gamete production below). The malfunctions you speak of are not genetic, but the lack of functioning critical cells. White blood cells and platelets have a very short life span, and when they are not replaced, patients will die from secondary infections and internal hemorrhage if not treated. This is why wounds remain "unsealed," not because of skin cell death but lack of platelets. Frankly, at this point, the last thing on the doctor's and the patient's mind is the possibility of cancer 25+ years down the road.

Finally, passing down a genetic mutation to progeny also has several factors involved. Interestingly, gametes of the human ova and testes are at the tertiary level of being affected by radiation; that is the most resistant of actively dividing cells. In one example, soldiers from the First Gulf War who internalized depleted uranium (much less radioactive than natural uranium) were followed up and none had offspring with birth defects. I'm not sure about the other mutagens you mention. Again, dose is key. If a person is exposed to doses higher than occupational exposure, incapacitation or death render moot any possible mutation passed to offspring.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Sickle-cell is a mutation.