ATLA::Alternatives to Laboratory Animals

Volume 24, Number 4

A cytogenetic approach to the study of genotoxic effects of fungicides: an in vitro study in lymphocyte cultures with thiophanate-methyl.

ATLA 24, 597-601, July/August 1996

Patrizia Hrelia, Carmela Fimognari, Fernanda Vigagni, Francesca Maffei and Giorgi Cantelli-Forti

Department of Pharmacology, University of Bologna, via Imerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy

SUMMARY

This study was designed to evaluate the mechanisms of genetic damage by fungicides in cultured human peripheral blood Iymphocytes by means of a molecular cytogenetic approach. For example, thiophanate-methyl (30 µg/ml-300 µg/ml) was shown to significantly induce chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in human Iymphocytes cultured in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with centromeric DNA probes demonstrated that most micronuclei induced by thiophanate-methyl did not show any centromeric signals, indicating a relatively stronger clastogenic activity. Results obtained with thiophanate-methyl showed that a comprehensive examination of the mechanisms of toxicity at the genetic level provides valuable information, which is of importance in the safety assessment of the fungicide.

Keywords: fungicides, micronuclei, fluorescence in situ hybridization, chromosome aberrations, human Iymphocytes