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Histopathological and genotoxic effects of chlorpyrifos in rats

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effects of chlorpyrifos’s sub-acute exposure on male rats. Two groups with six animals each were orally treated, respectively, with 3.1 mg/kg b w and 6.2 mg/kg b w of chlorpyrifos during 4 weeks. The genotoxic effect of chlopyrifos was investigated using the comet assay and the micronucleus test. Some hematological and liver’s histopathological changes were also evaluated. Results revealed that chlorpyrifos induced histopathological alterations in liver parenchyma. The lymphoid infiltration observed in liver sections and the increase in white blood cells parameter are signs of inflammation. A significant increase in the platelet’ count and in polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocytes (PCE/NCE) ratio was observed in chlorpyrifos-treated groups which could be due to the stimulatory effect of chlorpyrifos on cell formation in the bone marrow at lower doses. In addition, the increase of bone marrow micronucleus percentage and the comet tail length revealed a genotoxic potential of chlorpyrifos in vivo.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the funds allocated to the Research Unit of Histology and Genetic UR12ES10 by the “Ministère Tunisien de l’Enseingement Supérieur et de la Recherché Scientifique”. The authors thank the personnel of the Laboratory of hematology, University Hospital of Monastir, for their help in the determination of hematological parameters. We also thank the reviewers for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Histology and Cytogenetic (Research Unit of Genetic, Genotoxicity and Childhood Illness UR12ES10), Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Street Avicenne, Monastir, 5019, Tunisia

    Lobna Ezzi, Imen Belhadj Salah, Zohra Haouas, Amina Sakly, Intissar Grissa, Sana Chakroun, Emna Kerkeni, Meriem Mehdi & Hassen Ben Cheikh

  2. Laboratory of Hematology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia

    Mohsen Hassine

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  1. Lobna Ezzi
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  2. Imen Belhadj Salah
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  10. Hassen Ben Cheikh
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Correspondence to Lobna Ezzi.

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Ezzi, L., Belhadj Salah, I., Haouas, Z. et al. Histopathological and genotoxic effects of chlorpyrifos in rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 4859–4867 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5722-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5722-x

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