Assessing the genotoxic potentials of roxarsone in V79 cells using the alkaline Comet assay and micronucleus test

Until recently, knowledge about the genotoxicity of roxarsone in vitro or in vivo was limited. This study assessed the genotoxicity of roxarsone in an in vitro system. Roxarsone was tested for potential genotoxicity on V79 cells by a Comet assay and a micronucleus (MN) test, exposing the cells to roxarsone (1–500 μM) and to sodium arsenite (NaAsO2, 20 μM) solutions for 3–48 h. Roxarsone was found to be cytotoxic when assessed with a commercial cell counting kit (CCK-8) used to evaluate cell viability, and moderately genotoxic in the Comet assay and micronucleus test used to assess DNA damage. The Comet metrics (percentages TDNA, TL, TM) increased significantly in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in roxarsone-treated samples compared with PBS controls (P < 0.05), while the data from samples treated with 20 μM NaAsO2 were comparable to those from 500 μM roxarsone-treated samples. The MN frequency of V79 cells treated with roxarsone was higher than that in the negative control but lower than the frequency in cells treated with 20 μM NaAsO2. A dose- and time-dependent response in MN induction was observed at 10, 50, 100 and 500 μM doses of roxarsone after 12–48 h exposure time. The DNA damage in V79 cells treated with 500 μM roxarsone was similar to cells exposed to 20 μM NaAsO2. The uptake of cells was correlated with the DNA damage caused by roxarsone. This investigation depicts the genotoxic potentials of roxarsone to V79 cells, which could lead to further advanced studies on the genotoxicity of roxarsone.

► Now, little is known the genotoxicity of roxarsone in vitro or in vivo.
► The paper revealed genotoxicity of roxarsone at some extent.
► The DNA damage exposure to 500 μM roxarsone was similar to 20 μM NaAsO2.
► As uptake of cells was some correlation with the DNA damage of roxarsone.