title: DDT induces DNA damage in blood cells. Studies in vitro and in women chronically exposed to this insecticide.
abstract: In this study, DDT-induced DNA damage on blood cells was analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from healthy donors and incubated in the presence of three different concentrations (40, 80, and 100 microg/mL) of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD at three different treatment times (24, 48, and 72 h). Then, DNA damage was assessed by the single-cell electrophoresis assay (comet assay) as well as by flow cytometry detection of hypodiploid cells (DNA content assay). All compounds induced significant DNA damage as shown by the comet assay. Accordingly, cells exposed to DDT, DDE, and DDD showed a significant increase in the percentage of hypodiploid cells compared with untreated PBMC. In agreement with the in vitro data, a significant correlation between blood levels of DDT, DDD, and DDE and DNA damage (comet assay) was found in women with different amounts of environmental exposure. This association remained significant after controlling for nutritional status, smoking habits, alcohol ingestion, and reported exposure to other pesticides. Although the precise biological importance remains to be explained, our results strongly suggest that DDT and its metabolites are able to induce DNA damage in PBMC both in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Toxicologia, Ambiental Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Avenida Venustiano, Carranza No. 2405, Col. Lomas los Filtros, CP 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yáñez
authors.forename: Víctor H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Borja-Aburto
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Hortensia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-Amaro
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Alejandro A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jongitud
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Díaz-Barriga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D020552:Comet Assay; D003634:DDT / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D003632:Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D003634:DDT; D003632:Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane