Genotoxicity of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin to ICR mouse hepatocytes

Massive application of pesticides had generated a considerable concern in the public. Potentials of chlorpyrifos [O,O-diethyl-O-(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl) phosphorothionate] and cypermethrin [(RS)-α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (1RS)-cis-trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate] to induce the excision-repairable DNA damage, DNA strand breakage, and DNA hypomethylation in ICR mouse hepatocytes were investigated. It was showed that chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin didn't increase the incorporation of (3)H-TdR into DNA of ICR mouse hepatocytes but increased the frequency of comet cells and decreased the 5MeC percentage of ICR mouse hepatocytes. In conclusion, chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin induced no excision-repairable DNA damage but led to DNA strand breakage and DNA hypomethylation in ICR mouse hepatocytes.