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Evaluation of the mutagenic activity of
hydroxyurea on the G1-S-G2 phases of
the cell cycle: an in vitro study
Patrícia Danielle Lima de Lima1, Plínio Cerqueira dos Santos Cardoso1, André Salim Khayat1,
Marcelo de Oliveira Bahia2 and Rommel Rodríguez Burbano1
1Laboratório de Citogenética Humana, Departamento de Biologia do Centro de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil
2Departamento de Patologia do Centro de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal do Pará,
Belém, PA, Brasil
Corresponding author: R.R. Burbano
E-mail: rommel@ufpa.br
Genet. Mol. Res. 2 (3): 328-333 (2003)
Received May 21, 2003
Accepted July 21, 2003
Published September 30, 2003

ABSTRACT. Hydroxyurea is considered an antineoplastic drug, which also plays an important role in the treatment of sickle cell anemia patients. We evaluated and compared the clastogenic and cytotoxic effects of hydroxyurea, using chromosomal aberrations and mitotic index, respectively, as endpoints. In vitro short-term cultures of lymphocytes were exposed to several concentrations of this drug, at various cell cycle phases. There was a significant increase in the cytotoxicity of hydroxyurea at G1 and G1/S as well in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Hydroxyurea did not significantly increase chromosome aberrations. There was an S-dependent cytotoxic effect of hydroxyurea, which is expected based on the known activity of hydroxyurea as an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase.

Key words: Hydroxyurea, Mitotic index, Chromosome aberrations, Sickle cell anemia

 

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