title: Comparison of the in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity of glyphosate isopropylamine salt in three different organisms.
abstract: There is considerable controversy with regard to the genotoxicity of glyphosate, with some reports stating that this compound is non-toxic for fish, birds and mammals. In this work, we used the comet assay to examine the genotoxicity of glyphosate isopropylamine (0.7, 7, 70 and 700 μM) in human lymphocytes, erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus and staminal nuclei of Tradescantia (4430) in vitro and in vivo. Cells, nuclei and fish that had and had not been exposed to 5 mM N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Significant (p < 0.01) genetic damage was observed in vivo and in vitro in all cell types and organisms tested. Human lymphocytes and Tradescantia hairs showed lower genetic damage in vivo compared to in vitro, possibly because of efficient metabolization of the herbicide. In O. niloticus erythrocytes, significant (p < 0.001) genotoxicity was observed at ≥ 7 μM, whereas in vitro, glyphosphate was genotoxic in human lymphocytes and Tradescantia hairs at ≥ 0.7 μM. These results indicate that glyphosate is genotoxic in the cells and organisms studied at concentrations of 0.7-7 μM.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Mutagenesis Laboratory, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, University of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico .
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Moya
authors.affiliation: Environmental Mutagenesis Laboratory, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, University of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico .
authors.forename: Mónica Reynoso
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Environmental Mutagenesis Laboratory, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, University of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico .
authors.forename: Carlos Valdez
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Environmental Mutagenesis Laboratory, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, University of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico .
authors.forename: David Gómez
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Banco Nacional Genómico de Tilapia, Departamento de Ingeniería de Proyectos, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico .
authors.forename: Rafael León
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jalisco Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design, Guadalajara, Mexico .
authors.forename: Alejandro Canales
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.affiliation: División de Ciencias Biológicas, University of Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico .
authors.forename: Alfredo Feria
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Velasco
keywords: DNA damage; comet assay; genotoxicity; glyphosate