Toxic effect of chlorpyrifos on hippocampal neurons in vitro

Y. Salyha

Taking into account the widespread use of different pesticides in the world, it is very important to perform studies evaluating their potential effects on the central nervous system In the present study, an in vitro primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons was used to assess whether exposure to chlorpyrifos - one of the most commonly used organophosphorus pesticides in the world could induce cell damage and cell death. An attempt was made to find the level of toxic effect of low doses of chlorpyrifos at young neurons in conditions of cell culture. It has long been known, that chlorpyrifos is acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and that high sensitivity of the cholinesterase's inhibitors makes them highly toxic to the central nervous system. In the past five years there have been some innovations in the question concerning mechanisms of chlorpyrifos neurotoxicity, specifically it was repeatedly demonstrated that chlorpyrifos toxicity is not limited to cholinesterase inhibition alone but can act by other mechanisms. Our results show the toxic influence of 20 µM chlorpyrifos concentration on young hippocampal neurons in cell culture.

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