Imidacloprid Causes DNA Damage in Fish: Clastogenesis as a Mechanism of Genotoxicity

SIMONIELLO, MARÍA F.; MEDICI, SANDRA; MENONE, MIRTA L.; ITURBURU, FERNANDO G.; PANZERI, ANA M.

BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2018 p. 760 - 764

0007-4861

Neonicotinoids are one of the most widely used insecticides in the world. DNA damage is considered an early biologicaleffect which could lead to reproductive and carcinogenic effects. The present study aimed to evaluate DNA damage andbases oxidation as a mechanism of genotoxicity, on the freshwater fish Australoheros facetus acutely exposed to imidacloprid(IMI). The Comet assay with the nuclease ENDO III enzyme was performed for detecting pyrimidine bases oxidation usingblood samples. Micronucleus and other nuclear abnormalities frequencies were also quantified. A significant increase ofdamage index at 100 and 1000 μg/L IMI was detected; while ENDO III score increased from 1 to 1000 μg/L IMI; varyingboth in a linear concentration-response manner. MN frequency increased in fish exposed to 1000 μg/L IMI. These resultsshow that short-term exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations of IMI could affect the genetic integrity of fishesthrough oxidative damage.