Chlorpyrifos shows higher genotoxicity and mutagenicity than glyphosate in human keratinocytes and bacterial assays
Background
Concerns about pesticide safety extend beyond acute poisoning to their potential impact on genetic material. Genotoxicity and mutagenicity are critical endpoints, as DNA damage can lead to cancer and other chronic diseases. Current safety assessments often rely on limited test systems, which may not fully capture the complex biotransformation and diverse mechanisms of action of compounds like chlorpyrifos (CPS) and glyphosate (GLY). A comprehensive approach is needed to accurately evaluate the full spectrum of potential genetic damage.
Study Design
Researchers compared the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of chlorpyrifos (CPS) and glyphosate (GLY). Human immortalized keratinocyte HaCaT cells were used for viability (Neutral Red assay) and genotoxicity (Comet assay). For mutagenicity, the Ames test was performed using S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 in a microplate format. The study specifically investigated mutagenic potential both with and without metabolic activation using the S9 fraction for the Ames test.
Results
The study revealed that chlorpyrifos (CPS) exhibited significantly higher toxicity and genotoxicity compared to glyphosate (GLY) in HaCaT cells. The Ames test demonstrated that CPS possessed mutagenic potential against strain TA98 only after activation with the S9 fraction, remaining inactive against strain TA100. In contrast, GLY did not induce mutations in strain TA98.
Key Findings
- Chlorpyrifos (CPS) showed significantly higher toxicity and genotoxicity than glyphosate (GLY) in human
HaCaTcells. - CPS exhibited mutagenic potential in
S. typhimuriumstrainTA98only after metabolic activation withS9 fraction. - CPS was inactive against
S. typhimuriumstrainTA100. - GLY did not induce mutations in
S. typhimuriumstrainTA98. - GLY caused substitution mutations in
S. typhimuriumstrainTA100at the highest concentration (1,000 μM).
Why It Matters
This research highlights that chlorpyrifos (CPS) poses a greater immediate genotoxic and mutagenic risk than glyphosate (GLY) in the tested models, particularly when metabolic activation is considered. For biohackers and individuals concerned about environmental exposures, this suggests a need for increased caution regarding CPS. The findings underscore the importance of using a multi-faceted testing approach, combining bacterial and mammalian cell models, to accurately assess the full genotoxic and mutagenic potential of pesticides. Relying on a single test system is insufficient for a reliable safety assessment, implying that current regulatory frameworks might need to expand their testing protocols to capture the diverse impacts of these compounds on genetic material.
chlorpyrifos
glyphosate
genotoxicity
mutagenicity
dna-damage
in-vitro