Toxicogenetic evaluation of dichlorophene in peripheral blood and in the cells of the immune system using molecular and flow cytometric approaches

Abstract Dichlorophene; a halogenated phenolic compound with wide applications as a fungicide, bactericide and antiprotozoan. Dichlorophene spray also has therapeutic use in the disease digital dermatitis. In guinea pigs, a few studies obtained mixed results in dicholorophene sensitization tests. In consideration of the fact, that the mechanism of its genotoxicity has not been adequately elucidated lead to present study assessing the acute in vivo toxicological impact in Rattus norvegicus. A systematic research has been made encompassing the use of molecular and flow cytometric approaches. The study was designed on blood cells for comet assay which revealed dichlorophene induced DNA damage in all exposures understandable in time dependent manner. The feasibility of this assay was also established as an effective, fast and accurate method with a great potential in biomonitoring. Contemporary molecular techniques were further engaged using leukocytes for the cell apoptosis/cycle and mitochondrial membrane potential employing propidium iodide staining and rhodamine 123 respectively. The effect on cell cycle phases and mitochondrial membrane permeability was analyzed through flow cytometry. These indicators exposed that dichlorophene decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential, altered the cell cycle and confirmed the DNA damage leading to apoptosis of the cells of the immune system accountable for immunotoxic effects of dichlorophene on rat leukocytes.