title: Assessing the genotoxicity of imidacloprid and RH-5849 in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro with comet assay and cytogenetic tests.
abstract: A combined approach employing comet assay and micronucleus (MN) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) tests was utilized to assess the genotoxicity of two pesticides, imidacloprid [1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitro-imidazolidin-2-ylideneamine] and RH-5849 [2'-benzoyl-1'-tert-butylbenzoylhydrazine], on human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. No significant difference in the frequencies of MN and SCE from the negative groups (P>0.05) was observed at low dose levels (i.e., 0.05 mg/L for imidacloprid and 5mg/L for RH-5849). As the concentrations of imidacloprid and RH-5849 were increased to 0.1 and 25 mg/L, respectively, significant effects to the frequencies of MN and SCE (P<0.05) were achieved relative to those of the negative controls. MN and SCE frequencies increased similarly in a dose-related manner with both pesticides. With the comet assay, however, the distribution of DNA damage grades in all the pesticide-treated groups was significantly different from those in the control (P<0.01). DNA damage scores increased with the exposure levels of both pesticides, and linear dose-effect relationships were observed for both imidacloprid (r2=0.98) and RH-5849 (r2=0.92). The cytogenetic techniques and comet assay revealed potential adverse effects of both imidacloprid and RH-5849 in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. Combination of the comet assay and cytogenetic tests appears commendable to assess the potential risks of human exposure to the pesticides.
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, P.O. Box 1131, Wushan, Guangzhou 510640, China
authors.forename: Shaolong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Xinming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Pingan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Eddy Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020552:Comet Assay; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000633:toxicity*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
chemical_list: D006834:Hydrazines; D007093:Imidazoles; D007306:Insecticides; D009153:Mutagens; D000073943:Neonicotinoids; D009574:Nitro Compounds; C056565:1,2-dibenzoyl-tert-butylhydrazine; C082359:imidacloprid