Effects of flumethrin on MCF-7 cell line

This study was performed to determine the cytotoxic, apoptotic, genotoxic and estrogenic effects of flumethrin belonging to the pyrethroid group from the pesticides on MCF-7 cell line. Pesticides are used frequently in daily life as well as in agriculture and livestock all over the world. Pesticides according to their physicochemical properties, are dragged to other places by factors such as wind and rain and it reaches many living things. Pyrethroid insecticides from pesticide groups are the most commonly used group because they are more reliable for humans and the environment compared to other group pesticides. However, many studies have shown that most of the pyrethroids have toxic effects. Flumethrin is a type II pyrethroid and is used against ectoparasites in many animals such as cattle, lambs, goats, horses and dogs. It has also been used in bee keeping against mites for a long time. The effect of 8 different doses of flumethrin between 0.1 µM and 2000 µM on cell viability and cytotoxicity was investigated. The effects of 4 different doses (1, 10, 100 and 1000 µM) selected from these doses on the apoptosis/necrosis rate and the effect of the genes involved in the apoptotic pathway on expression rates and genotoxic effects were investigated. In addition, 6 different doses of flumethrin (10- 0,0001 µM) were evaluated for the proliferative effect compared to estrogen. Expression rates of genes known to increase with estrogen (pS2, ERα, ERβ and PGR) 10 µM, 1 µM and 0,1 µM selected among these doses were investigated. The obtained data showed that flumethrin had cytotoxic effects due to dose increase, increased apoptosis and genotoxic effects occurred. In addition, toxic effects of flumethrin did not occur at low doses were found to have estrogenic effects.