A Cytogenetic Approach to the Study of Genotoxic Effects of Fungicides: An in Vitro Study in Lymphocyte Cultures with Thiophanate-methyl

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the mechanisms of genetic damage by fungicides in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes by means of a molecular cytogenetic approach. For example, thiophanate-methyl (30μg/ml-300μg/ml) was shown to significantly induce chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in human lymphocytes cultured in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation 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 hybridisation chromosome aberrations human lymphocytes

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