The detection and assessment of the aneugenic potential of selected oestrogens, progestins and androgens using the in vitro cytokinesis blocked micronucleus assay.
The use of 17-beta-oestradiol, testosterone, progesterone, zearanol, trenbolone acetate and melengesterol acetate in animal feed as growth promoters has been banned in the European Union since 1989. However, the data available on their genotoxicity is limited. To bridge this gap the present study was carried out with the aim of evaluating these hormones for their ability to induce aneuploidy. Aneuploidy has been recently considered sufficiently important to be included in the routine testing of chemicals and radiation. These types of numerical chromosomal aberrations may arise by at least two mechanisms, chromosome loss and non-disjunction. Over the past few years, the cytokinesis blocked micronucleus (CBMN) technique has evolved into a robust assay for the detection of aneuploidy induction. At the present time, it is the only assay which can reliably detect both chromosome loss and non-disjunction when the basic methodology is coupled with appropriate molecular probing techniques such as immunoflourescent labelling of kinetochores and Fluorescence in situ Hybridisation. In this present study, aneuploidy induction by three groups of hormones was studied using CBMN assay coupled with Fluorescence in situ Hybridisation. The results from the present study demonstrate that 17-beta-oestradiol, diethylstilboestrol, progesterone and testosterone are genotoxic and induce aneuploidy by non-disjunctional mechanism, whereas trenbolone is also genotoxic by a clastogenic mechanism. However, melengesterol acetate and zearanol proved to be non-genotoxic in vitro.
Kayani
M A
MA
Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Parry
James M
JM
D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024422:Aneugens / Q000494:pharmacology; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002460:Cell Line; D048749:Cytokinesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015162:Micronucleus Tests / Q000379:methods; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000728:Androgens; D024422:Aneugens; D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins