Cytogenotoxicity of selected organophosphate insecticides on HaCaT keratinocytes and NL-20 human bronchial cells

Organophosphate insecticides (OI) are widely used. To humans the main routes of exposure are skin and inhalation. For this, keratinocytes (HaCaT) and bronchial cells (NL-20) were used as cell culture models to evaluate the effects of OI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of four OI on HaCaT and NL-20 cells: azinphos-methyl, (AM); parathion-methyl (PM); omethoate (OM); and methamidophos (MET). Cells were exposed to 0.1, 1 and 10 μg/μL of each. Results showed a decrease in cell viability in both cell lines. Viability of the NL-20 cell line decreased with the three concentrations of OM. All differences were significant (p < 0.05). Genotoxic damage, evaluated through the comet assay, was observed in both cell lines with AM. NL-20 cell line was more sensitive than HaCaT. Higher concentrations of the insecticides except MET, induced cell death. MET caused DNA damage in HaCaT cells at all concentrations. Differences were significant (p < 0.05). Both cell lines revealed the presence of single membrane vacuoles of different sizes when exposed to 1 μg/μL of each insecticide. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) showed an increase of BN1 gene in HaCaT by effect of AM and MET at 1 μg/μL. In conclusion, all the insecticides induced different levels of cyto and genotoxic effects in both cell lines.