title: Mitotic recombination: a genotoxic effect of the antidepressant citalopram in Aspergillus nidulans.
abstract: This report evaluates the potential of the antidepressant drug citalopram to induce homozygotization of genes previously present in a heterozygous condition, by homologous recombination. In order to address this question, a heterozygous diploid strain of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans and the homozygotization assay were utilized. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of citalopram (50, 75 and 100 μmol/L) showed a strong recombinogenic effect in A. nidulans, inducing homozygosis of the diploid strain's nutritional markers. The genetic markers exhibited homozygotization index (HI) rates higher than 2.0 and significantly different from HI control ones. Since citalopram has been previously characterized as a DNA synthesis inhibitor, the recombinogenic potential of this antidepressant in A. nidulans may be associated with the recombinational repair of citalopram-induced DNA strand breaks.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Celular e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo 5790, Bloco H67. Maringá, Paraná 87020-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudinéia C S
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castro-Prado
authors.forename: Lúcia J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rosada
authors.forename: Juliane R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sant'Anna
authors.forename: Marialba A A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro-Prado
mesh_terms: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000633:toxicity*; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D015283:Citalopram / Q000633:toxicity*; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004171:Diploidy; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D002273:Carcinogens; D005819:Genetic Markers; D009153:Mutagens; D015283:Citalopram