Induction of mitotic cell division distrubances and mitotic arrest by pyrethroids in V79 cell cultures

Five pyrethroids (fenvalerate, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin) differing in their chemical purity were investigated on their cytotoxic effects, especially on their ability to induce mitotic cell division disturbances using Chinese hamster lung cells of line V79. The colony forming ability (CFA) resulted in distinct differences of the cytotoxic effect of the tested pyrethroids, whereby permethrin was found to be most toxic. With the exception of fenvalerate all tested pyrethroids gave rise to inhibition of cell cycle progression as shown by G2/M-arrest of synchronized V79 cells by flow cytometry as well as by the increase of the mitotic index as evaluated by light microscopy. The mitotic arresting activity could be attributed to the occurrence of abnormal mitotic figures such as initial and full C-metaphases. The results however indicate, that pyrethroids per se do not contribute to the cytotoxic effects but that other factors such as chemical impurities, source as well as manufacturing process and isomer composition may be responsible for the observed cytotoxic effects.