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The effect of dimethoate on bone marrow cell chromosomes of rats in subchronic four-generation experiments
1Department of Public Health, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.
Abstract:
The effect of the insecticide dimethoate (O,O-dimethyl S-/N-methylcarbamoylmethyl phosphorodithioate) on bone marrow cells of four generations of rats was investigated. Male and female Wistar rats were treated for 6 weeks with 5 treatments per week via gavage at doses of 7.0, 9.33, and 14.0 mg/kg (1/ 100, 1/75, and 1/50 of the LD50). Chromosomes of 10 of the treated males were prepared. Other males (6-8 males per dose) were paired with females (11-16 females per dose). This represented the first (P) generation. During pregnancy and lactation females were treated with adequate doses of dimethoate. In F1 (70 males and 56 females), F2 (71 males and 62 females), and F3 generations (62 males and 44 females) treatment with dimethoate and the preparation of chromosomes (40 males per generation) were the same as those in the P generation. Following treatment with dimethoate in P and F1 generations, the number of numerical chromosome aberrations increased significantly. No significant changes in chromosome aberrations were found in F2 and F3 generations compared to the control groups. The frequency of numerical chromosome aberrations decreased considerably compared to the P generation at the dose of 14.0 mg/kg (1/50 of LD50).
Insights
This study investigated the insecticide dimethoate
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Genetics
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Insecticides are widely used in agriculture.
- Understanding the long-term effects of insecticides on mammalian health is crucial.
- Dimethoate is an organophosphate insecticide with known toxic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the genotoxic effects of dimethoate exposure across multiple generations of rats.
- To determine if dimethoate-induced chromosome aberrations are heritable.
- To assess dose-dependent effects and recovery patterns.
Main Methods:
- Wistar rats were exposed to three doses of dimethoate (7.0, 9.33, 14.0 mg/kg) for six weeks.
- Exposure continued during pregnancy and lactation for subsequent generations (F1, F2, F3).
- Bone marrow chromosome analysis was performed on parent (P) and offspring generations.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in numerical chromosome aberrations were observed in the P and F1 generations.
- No significant changes in chromosome aberrations were detected in the F2 and F3 generations.
- A dose-dependent decrease in aberration frequency was noted at the highest dose (14.0 mg/kg) in the P generation.
Conclusions:
- Dimethoate exposure can induce genotoxicity in the initial generation.
- The genotoxic effects of dimethoate appear to be transient and not heritable beyond the F1 generation.
- Rodent bone marrow cells show potential for recovery from dimethoate-induced chromosomal damage over generations.