Lymphocytes exposed to vegetables grown in waters contaminated by anticancer drugs: metabolome alterations and genotoxic risks for human health

Publication date: Available online 3 April 2019Source: Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental MutagenesisAuthor(s): Chiara Russo, Vittoria Graziani, Margherita Lavorgna, Brigida D’Abrosca, Concetta Piscitelli, Antonio Fiorentino, Monica Scognamiglio, Marina IsidoriAbstractWastewater irrigation of crops may be effective to avoid depletion (about 70%) of freshwater resources. However, the use of reclaimed waters containing persistent microcontaminants such as antineoplastic drugs is of high environmental concern. These active compounds may affect human health with potentially severe adverse effects. To better understand the impact on human health following irrigation of crops with reused contaminated waters, we exposed four edible plants, Brassica rapa, Lactuca sativa, Raphanus sativus, and Triticum durum, to two commonly used antitumoral drugs: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and Cisplatin (CDDP), using metabolomics as a potential functional genomics tool to combine with genotoxicity experiments. The metabolome of the treated and untreated plants was analysed to detect biochemical alterations associated to the exposure, and the potential genotoxic damage related to human exposure to the treated plants was evaluated using the comet assay in human lymphocytes, which are characterized by high sensitivity to genotoxic substances. The edible species were able to assimilate 5-FU and CDDP during the treatment, affecting the biochemical pathways of these plants with subsequen...
Source: Mutation Research Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research