Induction of micronuclei in bone marrow by two pesticides and their differentiation with CREST staining: an in vivo study in mice

Two pesticides, organophosphate phosphamidon (PHO) and organochlorine dield rin (DED) were assayed by the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test, to ascer tain whether they showed genotoxic activity in vivo. Two doses, sub-lethal (PHO = 3 mg/kg b.wt.; DED = 60 mg/kg b.wt.) and lethal (PHO = 5 mg/kg b.wt. ; DED = 90 mg/kg b.wt.), of each substance were administered intraperitonea lly to 9-10-week old CBA male mice, in acute and repeated exposure. The sub -lethal dose was also administered at two different times and twice at 24-h intervals. Both PHO and DED proved able to induce a dose-dependent increas e of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE). The two pesticides al so showed a different detoxification time. Furthermore, the CREST staining with antikinetochore antibodies allowed us to conclude that the two chemica ls are clastogens. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.