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Genotoxicity studies on the antimicrobial drug sulfamethoxazole in cultured human lymphocytes

Ahmed Abou-Eisha1, Ricard Marcos, Amadeu Creus

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

Mutation Research
|October 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

The antimicrobial drug sulfamethoxazole showed weak genotoxic effects in human cells, indicated by slight increases in sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) frequencies. Cytotoxic effects were also observed, impacting cell proliferation.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Genetics
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Sulfamethoxazole is a widely used antimicrobial agent.
  • Assessing the genotoxicity of pharmaceuticals is crucial for drug safety.
  • Genotoxicity testing evaluates potential DNA damage and chromosomal abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the genotoxic potential of sulfamethoxazole in human cells.
  • To determine if sulfamethoxazole induces sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) formation.
  • To assess the cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of sulfamethoxazole on lymphocyte proliferation.

Main Methods:

  • Cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy donors were treated with varying concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (10-500 microg/ml).
  • Frequencies of sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) were analyzed as indicators of genotoxicity.
  • Proliferative rate index (PRI) and cytokinesis-block proliferation index (CBPI) were measured to assess cytotoxic/cytostatic effects.

Main Results:

  • Sulfamethoxazole treatment resulted in a slight, statistically borderline increase in SCE and MN frequencies at higher concentrations.
  • The drug exhibited cytotoxic and cytostatic effects, evidenced by a significant decrease in PRI and CBPI.
  • The genotoxic findings suggest weak potential, requiring cautious interpretation due to borderline significance.

Conclusions:

  • Sulfamethoxazole demonstrates weak genotoxic potential in human lymphocytes, with borderline significant increases in SCE and MN.
  • The drug exhibits clear cytotoxic and cytostatic effects, impacting lymphocyte proliferation.
  • Further investigation may be warranted to fully elucidate the genotoxic risk associated with sulfamethoxazole exposure.

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