title: Computerized automated morphometric assay including frequency estimation of pentachlorophenol induced nuclear anomalies (micronucleus) in catfish Heteropneustes fossilis.
abstract: An in vivo study of the effects of pentachlorophenol was carried out with a pre-acclimatized fish species, Heteropneustes fossilis, using four sub-lethal concentrations, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 ppm, and three sampling times, 48, 72 and 96 h. Cytogenetic preparations were stained by the haematoxylin-eosin technique. The incidence of micronuclei was scored by a manual and an automated method. Small-sized micronuclei appeared in the cytoplasm in addition to the main nucleus. The frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes peaked at 4 days (96 h) exposure. The percentage of single micronuclei increased with longer exposures. The Mann-Whitney U test showed all micronuclei frequencies were significantly different from control (P<0.05). No statistical difference was observed between scores obtained by the manual and automated methods. A linear relationship between the percentage of micronucleated erythrocytes and dose was confirmed at all levels. Computer image analysis of morphological variations of erythrocytes indicated a 1:5 ratio of micronuclei and main nucleus accompanied by a reduction in cell volume by 600 dot units. Pentachlorophenol-mediated genotoxicity was confirmed in this fish for the first time. Possible consequences of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, A.M.U., Aligarh, UP, India.
authors.forename: Waseem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: M Niamat
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: M Abul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ateeq
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010416:Pentachlorophenol