https://www.boerenlandvogels.nl/sites/default/files/Final%20version%20of%20TAP%20review.pdf

Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives.

Pesticides constitute a heterogeneous category of chemicals specifically designed for the control of pests, weeds or plant diseases. Pesticides have been considered potential chemical mutagens: experimental data revealed that various agrochemical ingredients possess mutagenic properties inducing mutations, chromosomal alterations or DNA damage. Biological monitoring provides a useful tool to estimate the genetic risk deriving from an integrated exposure to a complex mixture of chemicals. Studies available in scientific literature have essentially focused on cytogenetic end-points to evaluate the potential genotoxicity of pesticides in occupationally exposed populations, including pesticide manufacturing workers, pesticide applicators, floriculturists and farm workers. A positive association between occupational exposure to complex pesticide mixtures and the presence of chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) has been detected in the majority of the studies, although a number of these failed to detect cytogenetic damage. Conflicting results from cytogenetic studies reflect the heterogeneity of the groups studied with regard to chemicals used and exposure conditions. Genetic damage associated with pesticides occurs in human populations subject to high exposure levels due to intensive use, misuse or failure of control measures. The majority of studies on cytogenetic biomarkers in pesticide-exposed workers have indicated some dose-dependent effects, with increasing duration or intensity of exposure. Chromosomal damage induced by pesticides appears to have been transient in acute or discontinuous exposure, but cumulative in continuous exposure to complex agrochemical mixtures. Data available at present on the effect of genetic polymorphism on susceptibility to pesticides does not allow any conclusion.

Genotoxicity of pesticides: a review of human biomonitoring studies

Results from the testing of 108 coded chemicals in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for the induction of chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) are presented. All chemicals were tested with and without exogenous metabolic activation, using protocols designed to allow testing up to toxic doses. Cell harvest times could also be extended if chemical-induced cell cycle delay was seen. Chromosome aberrations were induced by 43 of the chemicals, and 66 induced SCEs; 37 of the chemicals were positive for both endpoints.

Chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in chinese hamster ovary cells: Evaluations of 108 chemicals

The protocol recommended for the micronucleus assay in mammalian bone marrow has been revised and simplified. The number of sample times has been reduced to one or two, depending upon the dosing protocol. The minimum number of cells to be scored per treatment group has been increased to 20,000 to increase the ability of the assay to detect a doubling of the control micronucleus frequency. Use of both male and female animals is recommended. Scoring of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of peripheral blood is included as a variation of the bone marrow assay. Published data on chemicals tested by the micronucleus assay have been reviewed and are summarized.

The in vivo micronucleus assay in mammalian bone marrow and peripheral blood. A report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gene-Tox Program

International Commission for Protection Against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens. Genotoxicity under extreme culture conditions. A report from ICPEMC Task Group 9

M.C. Pastori

Papers

Sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in a population exposed to pesticides.

Cytogenetic effect of malathion assessed by the micronucleus test.

Malathion-induced chromosomal aberrations in bone-marrow cells of mice: dose-response relationships.

Cytogenetic analysis in plant breeders