title: Genotoxic effects of starvation and dimethoate in haemocytes and midgut gland cells of wolf spider Xerolycosa nemoralis (Lycosidae).
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the genotoxic effects of starvation and dimethoate (organophosphate insecticide) in female and male wolf spiders Xerolycosa nemoralis (Lycosidae) exposed to the stressors under laboratory conditions. DNA damage was measured in haemocytes and midgut gland cells using the comet assay. In response to the two stressing factors, both cell types showed %TDNA, tail length (TL) and OTM values higher in males than in females. Level of DNA damage in haemocytes was greater than in midgut gland cells. In both sexes, the strongest genotoxicity was recorded at single application of dimethoate. After five-time exposure to the pesticide, genotoxic effects of a single dose were sustained in males and reduced to the control level in females. Starvation stress was well tolerated by the females, in which neither cell type was affected by DNA damage. However, in male haemocytes food deprivation induced severe DNA damage, what suggests suppression of the defence potential at prolonged starvation periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007 Poland. Electronic address: grazyna.wilczek@us.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wilczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007 Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mędrzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007 Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augustyniak
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Laboratory, Heart Prosthesis Institute FRK, Wolności 345a, Zabrze 41-800 Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia, Bankowa 9, Katowice 40-007 Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stalmach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004117:Dimethoate / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000473:pathology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013112:Spiders / Q000187:drug effects*; D013217:Starvation / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D004117:Dimethoate
keywords: Comet assay; Dimethoate; Genotoxicity; Starvation; Xerolycosa nemoralis