Evaluation of Immunotoxicity and Oxidative Stress due to in vitro Exposure of Dimethoate in Chicken Lymphocytes

Pesticide hazards have been amplified by the sharp rise in their agricultural, industrial and domestic use. Though there is considerable contribution of pesticides in various agriculture, domestic and industrial applications; however, continuous exposure of pesticides even at low dose levels can exert adverse effects on mammalian immune system. Dimethoate is an insecticide and acaricide of moderate mammalian toxicity which is used in housefly control and against a broad range of agricultural insect and mite pests. Present communication reports dimethoate induced immunotoxic effects due to enhanced oxidative stress and down regulation of interleukin (IL) levels in avian lymphocyte cell culture system employing lymphocyte proliferation assay, cytokine assay and oxidative stress assay. There was a marked reduction in B and T cells proliferation in avian lymphocytes due to the exposure of thousand times dilution of No Observable Effect Level (NOEL/103) dose of dimethoate. Cytokine assay revealed significant reduction in IL-1 and IL-2 levels. There was a significant increase in oxidative stress in dimethoate treated cells in comparison with controls cells as revealed by nitric oxide estimation. Thus, from our findings, it is revealed that in vitro exposure of low dose of dimethoate induces significant immunotoxic effects and higher oxidative stress in avian lymphocytes.