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Oxidative liver DNA damage in rats treated with pesticide mixtures
M Lodovici1, C Casalini, C Briani
1Department of Pharmacology, Florence, Italy.
Abstract:
Oxidative damage was quantified in the liver of rats by measuring the levels of 8-OH-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-2DG) relative to 2-deoxyguanosine in DNA after treating rats for 10 days at a total dose of 1 mg/kg/day with a mixture of the 15 pesticides most commonly found in Italian foods (comprised of dithiocarbamate, benomyl, procymidone, methidathion, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, parathion-methyl, chlorpropham, parathion, vinclozolin, chlorfenvinphos, pirimiphos ethyl, thiabendazole, fenarimol, diphenylamine and chlorothalonil). We fractionated this pesticide mixture into subgroups in order to determine which molecules, if any, induced DNA oxidative damage. The administration of diphenylamine (0.09-1.4 mg/kg/day) and chlorothalonil (0.13-1 mg/kg/day) induced a dose-dependent increase in 8-OH-2DG levels in liver DNA. The other 13 pesticides of the mixture on the contrary, did not produce oxidative liver DNA damage. These results indicate that the toxicity of low doses of pesticide mixtures present in food might be further reduced by eliminating diphenylamine and chlorothalonil.
Insights
This study found that diphenylamine and chlorothalonil, among common food pesticides, significantly increased oxidative DNA damage in rat livers. Removing these two may reduce the toxicity of pesticide mixtures.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Environmental Health
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Pesticide residues are common in food.
- Assessing the toxicological impact of pesticide mixtures is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific pesticides within a common Italian food mixture that induce oxidative DNA damage in rat liver.
- To evaluate the dose-dependent effects of individual pesticides on DNA integrity.
Main Methods:
- Rats were treated with a mixture of 15 common Italian food pesticides.
- Liver DNA was analyzed for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-2DG) levels, a marker of oxidative damage.
- The pesticide mixture was fractionated to test individual compounds and subgroups.
Main Results:
- Diphenylamine and chlorothalonil administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in 8-OH-2DG levels in liver DNA.
- The other 13 pesticides in the mixture did not cause significant oxidative DNA damage.
- This suggests specific components contribute disproportionately to mixture toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Diphenylamine and chlorothalonil are key contributors to oxidative DNA damage from this pesticide mixture.
- Reducing or eliminating these two pesticides could mitigate the toxicity of common food pesticide residues.
- This research informs strategies for safer food production and regulation.