Mancozeb is a dithiocarbamate fungicide known to be genotoxic and induces tumors in rodents at various sites. There is no report in the literature about its genotoxicity in humans. Here, the authors investigated the association between mancozeb exposure and induction of genotoxic and proapoptotic changes in cultured human lymphocytes (CHLs). In this study mancozeb exposure (0.5, 2 and 5 μg/ml) to CHLs leads to significant induction in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronuclei (MN), in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, pro-oxidant potential of mancozeb was also recorded, by increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Results demonstrated that ROS plays a critical role in the initiation of mancozeb induced apoptosis in CHLs through two ways, primarily through mitochondria-mediated pathway including induction of ROS, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), along with cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and activation of the caspase cascade. The other pathway includes increase in ROS, which resulted in activation of NF-κB, expression of FasL and triggered FasL-dependent pathway, which also involves caspase-8. Therefore, exposure to mancozeb can lead to induction of apoptosis in CHLs through both mechanisms.

Srivastava et al.; Life Sciences; 2012; 90; 815-24.