title: Toxicity of cypermethrin: hsp70 as a biomarker of response in transgenic Drosophila.
abstract: Heat shock protein induction is often associated with a cellular response to a harmful environment or to adverse life conditions. The main aims of our study were (1) to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of cypermethrin; and (2) to investigate the suitability of stress-induced heat shock protein Hsp70 as a biomarker for environmental pollutants in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (Hsp70-lacZ)Bg(9). Different concentrations of cypermethrin (0.002, 0.2, 0.5 and 50.0 p.p.m.) were mixed with food. Third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster were allowed to feed on these mixtures for different time intervals (2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h). Following feeding, hsp70 induction and tissue damage were evaluated. In the highest concentration treatment group (50 p.p.m.), 100% larval mortality was recorded after 12 h exposure. Hsp70 was found to be induced even at the lowest concentration (0.002 p.p.m.) of the insecticide, while tissue damage was observed in the larvae exposed for 48 h. While an insignificant decline in hsp70 expression was observed in the larvae exposed to cypermethrin at a dietary concentration of 0.002 p.p.m. after 48 h compared with those exposed for 24 h, in the next two higher concentrations of the toxicant, a similar but significant decline in hsp70 expression was evident in the exposed larvae after 48 h. The present study reveals the cytotoxic potential of cypermethrin and further proposes that hsp70 induction in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster could be used as a sensitive biomarker in risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: Embryotoxicology Section, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, PO Box 80, M G Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: Aamir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nazir
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: D Kar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Chowdhuri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018428:Drosophilidae / Q000187:drug effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D007306:Insecticides; D011722:Pyrethrins; C017160:cypermethrin