Effect of malathion on the genetic material of human lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA).

This paper gives the results of studies on the effects of malathion on human lymphocytes stimulated by PHA, including cell survival, chromosomal aberration and nucleic acid content. Increasing malathion doses (10-70 micrograms/ml) were introduced into cultures of human lymphotyes at different times relative to the time of PHA addition. At a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml, malathion induced an increase in the RNA and DNA fractions in lymphocyte cultures. Higher malathion concentrations (50 and 70 micrograms/ml), especially the dose of 70 micrograms/ml, induced both a significant decrease in the content of RNA and DNA and reduced survival of cultured cells. The insecticide damaged the chromosome structure, but no correlation was revealed between the dose and the level of chromosome aberrations.