Chromosomal aberrations in ovine lymphocytes exposed in vitro to tolylfluanid

Abstract

Chromosomal aberrations have been used as important cytogenetic biomarkers to study the mutagenic effects of different chemicals in vivo and in vitro. Chromosomal aberrations were evaluated in cultures of sheep lymphocytes in vitro exposed to the fungicide tolylfluanid. Lymphocyte cultures from three donors were exposed to four different concentrations of fungicide (1.10⁻⁴ M^.L; 1.10⁻⁵ M^.L; 1.10⁻⁶ M^.L; 1 × 10⁻⁷ M^.L). Chromosomal analysis showed a significant (P = 0.018 and 0.038 respectively, Anova test, P < 0.05, Tukey test) increase in the frequency of aberrant cells (ABC) in cultures treated with the highest negative experimental concentrations of tolylfluanid (1.10⁻⁴ M^.L; 1.10⁻⁵ M^.L) compared to control. Significantly increased numbers of chromatid breaks (7.67 ± 0.58% against 1.67 ± 2.08%, P = 0.009, Anova test, P < 0.05, Tukey test) and chromatid gaps (7.67 ± 1.15% against 2.67 ± 0.58%, P = 0.003, Anova test, P < 0.05, Tukey test) were observed in ovine cultures treated with the highest experimental concentration of tolylfluanid (1.10⁻⁴ M^.L). Tolylfluanid induced also chromosomal exchanges (P = 0.038, and 0.016 respectively, Anova test, P < 0.05, Tukey test) in ovine cultures treated with the highest experimental concentrations of tolylfluanid (1.10⁻⁴ M^.L; 1.10⁻⁵ M^.L). The mitotic index has not shown any statistical differences between the various treatments and control groups. Our results suggest a significant genotoxic effect of tolylfluanid only at the highest concentration in sheep peripheral lymphocytes in vitro.

Keywords:

• Tolylfluanid
• chromosomal aberrations
• ovine lymphocytes
• genotoxicity
• cytotoxicity
• health

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by VEGA Grant ME SR No. 1/0545/08 and the National Reference Laboratory for Pesticides, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Slovak Republic. The authors also express their thanks to Lucia and Donald Spatz for their editing of the English language version of our paper.

Notes

****Significantly different from the control P = 0.005 (Anova);

***Significantly different from the control P = 0.009 (Anova);

**Significantly different from the control P = 0.018 and = 0.016 (Anova);

*Significantly different from the control P = 0.031 and = 0.038 (Anova);

⁺Significantly different from the control P < 0.05 (Tukey test, all pairwise multiple comparison procedures);