32P-Postlabeling detection of DNA adducts in mice treated with the herbicide Roundup

Roundup is a postemergence herbicide acting on the synthesis of amino acids and other important endogenous chemicals in plants. Roundup is commonly used in agriculture, forestry, and nurseries for the control or destruction of most herbaceous plants. The present study shows that Roundup is able to induce a dose-dependent formation of DNA adducts in the kidneys and liver of mice. The levels of Roundup-related DNA adducts observed in mouse kidneys and liver at the highest dose of herbicide tested (600 mg/kg) were 3.0 ± 0.1 (SE) and 1.7 ± 0.1 (SE) adducts/10⁸ nucleotides, respectively. The Roundup DNA adducts were not related to the active ingredient, the isopropylammonium salt of glyphosate, but to another, unknown component of the herbicide mixture. Additional experiments are needed to identify the chemical specie(s) of Roundup mixture involved in DNA adducts formation. Findings of this study may help to protect agricultural workers from health hazards and provide a basis for risk assessment.