The insecticide chlorpyrifos leads to genotoxic effects by triggering oxidative stress and apoptosis in Sertoli cells

Abstract

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an insecticide that humans are exposed to when used for agricultural and domestic purposes. Many studies have shown that CPF has adverse effects on human health and causes toxicity in various cells and tissues. Since there are few studies in the literature examining the effects of CPF on the male reproductive system, Sertoli cells, which are crucial to the continuation of spermatogenesis, were chosen as a model in our study. The objective of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic, oxidative stress–related, apoptotic, and genotoxic effects of chlorpyrifos in TM4 Sertoli cells. In this study, Sertoli cells were exposed to two concentrations of CPF (100 and 500 μM) for 24 h. The cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of CPF in Sertoli cells was evaluated by measuring metabolic activity, malondialdehyde content, antioxidant enzyme levels, apoptosis rates, and DNA damage. According to the findings, applied CPF concentrations increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant enzyme levels in Sertoli cells. The results indicated that cell viability and the nuclear division index decreased in a concentration-dependent manner, while apoptotic cells, the micronucleus, and comet formation increased. Consequently, the results suggest that DNA damage and apoptosis play a major role in the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effects of CPF in Sertoli cells, establishing CPF as a strong genotoxic agent.

Graphical Abstract