Investigations of mutagenic recombinogenic and cancer promoter effects of some plant growth regulators and pesticides

In this study, mutagenic and recombinogenic effects of IAA, a plant growth regulator, naturally synthesized in plants but produced synthetically, and BNOA, a synthetic plant growth regulator, fungicides Cyprodinil, Fludioxonil and herbicides Fluazyfop-p-butyl and Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, widely used in the agricultural regions of Antalya province have been investigated by wing somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART), and cancer promoter effects (viability and proliferation rates) of these substances were investigated by the tripan blue exclusion assay and MTT test. In SMART test, 3-day-old larvae trans-heterozygous for the third chromoseome recessive markers flare (flr3) and multiple wing hair (mwh) were reared using the medium containing different concentrations of such plant growth regulators and pesticides. The effects of these substances were evaluated according to genetic changes (point mutation, deletion, non-disjuncton, recombination) in wing imaginal disc cells that lead to the formation of mutant trichomes. Classification was based on the categories (small single spot, large single spot, twin spot, multiple wing hair and total spot) developed by Graf et al. (1984). For the tripan blue exclusion and MTT assays, early-stage HEK293 cells were incubated with plant growth regulator and pesticide solutions prepared with DMEM, for 8 days. At the end of the incubation period, alive and dead cells were counted by using light microscope for the tripan blue exclusion assay, and viability rates were determined spectroscopically for the MTT test. The results demonstrated that, neither IAA nor BNOA were mutagenic or recombinogenic on the wing cells of Drosophila. However, both IAA and BNOA decreased cell viability at the highest concentration, 0.5 mg/ml, tested (molar equivalent for IAA =2,853 mM, molar equivalent for BNOA=2,472 mM). Cyprodinil was found to be recombinogenic at 10 mM concentration and its metabolites were found mutagenic at 1 mM concentration. The pesticide was found ineffective on the proliferation rate of the HEK293 cells but decreased cell viability at the highest concentration tested (150 µM). Fludioxonil was found to be recombinogenic at 2 mM concentration. It was also found ineffective on the proliferation rate of the HEK293 cells but decreased cell viability at the highest concentration tested (180 µM). Metabolites of Fluazifop-p-butyl were found to be recombinogenic at 5 mM concentration. It was ineffective on the proliferation rate of the HEK293 cells but decreased cell viability at the highest concentration tested (653 µM). Metabolites of Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl were found to be mutagen at 0,05 mM, and recombinogenic at 0,5 and 1 mM concentrations. It was also found ineffective on the proliferation rate of the HEK293 cells but decreased cell viability at the highest concentration tested (180 µM).