A CYTOGENETIC APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF GENOTOXIC EFFECTS OF FUNGICIDES - AN IN-VITRO STUDY IN LYMPHOCYTE-CULTURES WITH THIOPHANATE-METHYL

This study was designed to evaluate the mechanisms of genetic damage b y fungicides in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes by means o f a molecular cytogenetic approach. For example, thiophanate-methyl (3 0 mu g/ml-300 mu g/ml) was shown to significantly induce chromosome ab errations and micronuclei in human lymphocytes cultured in vitro. Fluo rescence in situ hybridisation with centromeric DNA probes demonstrate d that most micronuclei induced by thiophanate-methyl did not show any centromeric signals, indicating a relatively stronger clastogenic act ivity. Results obtained with thiophanate-methyl showed that a comprehe nsive examination of the mechanisms of toxicity at the genetic level p rovides valuable information, which is of importance in the safety ass essment of the fungicide.