A Permethrin/Allethrin Mixture Induces Genotoxicity and Cytotoxicity in Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Abstract

Two pyrethroids, permethrin and allethrin, are often combined for large-scale use in public health programs to control vector-borne diseases. In this study, the genotoxic potential of a commercial formulation of permethrin and allethrin was examined using cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Genotoxicity was evaluated using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN cyt) assay by measuring the frequency of micronuclei (MN), nuclear division index (NDI), formation of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) and nuclear buds (NBUD), as well as apoptotic and necrotic cells. Human PBL were treated with different concentrations of a permethrin/allethrin mixture (1/0.01, 5/0.07, and 10/0.14 μg/ml) for 24 or 36 h. The highest concentration (10/0.14 μg/ml) of permethrin/allethrin mixture significantly increased MN frequency and percent apoptotic cells after incubations for 24 or 36 h. The NDI was markedly decreased in response to treatment with 5/0.07 or 10/0.14 μg/ml permethrin/allethrin for both 24 and 36 h. Exposure to the permethrin/allethrin mixture did not significantly alter formation of NBUD, NPB, or percent necrotic cells. The MN frequency was significantly correlated with the number of apoptotic and necrotic cells but inversely correlated with NDI. Data demonstrated that a mixture of permethrin and allethrin induced concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxic and genotoxic damage to human PBL in vitro.

Assessment of genotoxicity of Lannate-90® and its plant and animal metabolites in human lymphocyte cultures

“…On the other hand, diverse studies about genotoxic and/ or cytotoxic effects obtained with pure and commercial formulations of diverse pesticides indicate that commercial formulations may contain additional unsafe xenobiotics supporting the importance of evaluating not only the active principle but also the commercial formulation, which in fact constitutes the real hazard from agrochemicals (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51).…”

Estado Actual De La Investigación Sobre Plaguicidas en México

“…Ramos-Chávez et al (2015) realizaron exposición de células sanguíneas humanas periféricas a permetrina y aletrina, mostrando un incremento en la frecuencia de micronúcleos, porcentaje de células apoptóticas y tejido necrótico. Vences-Mejía et al (2012) evaluaron el efecto de transflutrin y D-aletrina en ratas "Wistar" expuestas a estos por inhalación (utilizando redes de mosquitero repelentes).…”

Effects of DDT and permethrin on rat hepatocytes cultivated in microfluidic biochips: Metabolomics and gene expression study

“…The p-pDDT and PMT were supplied at 15 or 150 µM. These concentrations were selected based on literature data of LD50 or IC50 (Willemin et al, 2015;Leibold and Schartz 1993;Zucchini Pascal et al, 2012;Ramos-Chavez et al, 2015) and rat PBPK mathematical models extracting blood and liver concentrations from in vivo assays in which rat were feed with PMT corn oil (Willemin et al, 2014). In these studies, we found values ranging between 2.5 and 125 M. Stock solutions were 50 mM in DMSO, leading to working solution with a DMSO highest concentration of 0.3%.…”