Evaluation of genotoxicity of (4-fluorophenyl) thiazolidin-4-one in CHO-K1 cells

4-thiazolidinones are five-membered heterocyclic ring compounds with diverse pharmacological impacts. In a previous study, we reported a series of newly synthesized derivatives of 4-thiazolidinones with different functional groups, which exhibited anticancer activity against ovarian (SKOV3) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines. Among these derivatives, (4-fluorophenyl) thiazolidin-4-one (4-TH) demonstrated potent cytotoxic activity against SKOV3, with an IC50 value of 12.3 μM. However, it was also found to be extremely toxic to normal cells (CHO-K1) with an IC50 of 7.5 μM. Before considering its use in cancer research, it is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of its potential genotoxic effects on normal cells. In this study, we aimed to assess the in vitro cytogenetic toxicity of 4-TH using normal Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1). Referring to the IC50 of 4-TH, we selected three sub-lethal concentrations (2, 5, and 7.5 μM) and treated CHO-K1 cells for 24 h (one cell cycle duration) to estimate its dose-dependent induction of chromosome aberrations, and examine the effect of 4-TH on cell division, micronucleus induction potential and cell cycle arrest properties following standard protocols. The results showed that 4-TH was highly toxic to normal cells, as all three sublethal concentrations caused a statistically significant increase in the number of chromosomal aberrations (P < 0.001), formation of micronuclei (P < 0.01), and changes in the rate of cell division (mitotic index) (P < 0.05) compared to control. In addition, there was a significant increase in the number of cells in the G1 phase, indicating that all concentrations of 4-TH tested induced apoptosis. The evaluation of the cytotoxic, clastogenic, and aneugenic properties of 4-TH, a potent cytotoxic agent, will undoubtedly provide critical information for determining its safety and potential as an anticancer drug.