title: Genistein effects on haematoimmune cells in a newly developed alternative toxicological model.
abstract: Unexpected, sometimes opposite effects of dietary isoflavonic phytoestrogens on immunity may suggest that classical mammalian toxicological assays are not entirely suitable for preclinical safety tests of these compounds. We evaluated a new alternative model of haemocytes of Egyptian cotton worm in vivo following genistein administration. Genistein induced significant changes in nucleolar morphology of haemocytes but did not influence their counts and nucleolar indices. The results indicate that genistein does not affect proliferation and differentiation of normal cells but potentiates their immuno-competence. Egyptian cotton worm larvae seem to be the new alternative biomodel for immunological screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, University of South Bohemia, Emy Destinove, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picmonova
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D008954:Models, Biological; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018411:Spodoptera; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D019833:Genistein