title: Metronidazole induced DNA damage in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: The standard version of the wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in Drosophila melanogaster was employed in order to evaluate the genotoxic potential of metronidazole (MTZ) as a function of exposure concentration. MTZ was administered by chronic feeding of 3-day-old larvae with the parenteral solution at 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 μg/ml until pupation. The marker-heterozygous progeny (mwh+/+flr3) with phenotypically wild-type wings was analyzed. Non significant differences were found between control and each MTZ concentration tested for single small spots (SSS) frequencies. Large single spots (LSS) and twin spots (TS) were significantly increased with the higher dose. MTZ treatments with 1000 and 2000 μg/ml also significantly increased the frequency of Total spots. These findings suggest that MTZ is genotoxic in the present experimental conditions and induces recombinagenesis and/or gene conversion, two major mechanisms that cause loss of heterocigosity and could play an important role in tumorigenesis and carcinogenesis processes.
authors.affiliation: CITEDEF, Juan Bautista de La Salle 4397, B1603ALO, Buenos Aires, Argentina. apalermo@citedef.gov.a
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Palermo
authors.forename: Marta Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mudry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007814:Larva; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009153:Mutagens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D014921:Wings, Animal
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D008795:Metronidazole