In vitro genetoxic effects of Lamivudine in human peripheral lymphocytes

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible genotoxic effects oflamivudine, which used to cure patients who chronicly infected with hepatitis B, bydetermining in vitro sister chromatid exchange (SCE), chromosome aberration (CA)and micronucleus (MN) tests in human peripheral lymphocytes. The cells weretreated with 75, 100, 125 and 150.g/ml lamivudine concentrations for 24 h and 48 htreatment periods.Lamivudine generally induced SCEs, this effect was found significant at allconcentrations for 24 h and 48 h treatment periods in the present study. Alsolamivudine increased structural chromosome aberrations significant at allconcentrations for 24 h and 48 h treatment periods in human peripheral lymphocytes.In addition to this, lamuvudine reduced both replication index (RI) and mitotic indexstatistically significant at all concentrations for 24 h and 48 h treatment periods.Lamivudine generally induced micronucleus formation. Besides, this effect wasstatistically significant at 150.g/ml concentration for 24 h treatment period and 100,125 and 150.g/ml concentrations for 48 h treatment period when compared withcontrol.Key words: Lamivudine, Human Peripheral Lymphocytes, Sister ChromatidExchange (SCE), Chromosome Aberration (CA), Micronucleus (MN)