Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: The study was undertaken to assess the oxidative stress and DNA damage in human amnion cells induced by TBT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured FL cells were exposed to different concentrations of TBT (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 μmol/L) for different durations (2 h and 4 h). Cell proliferation rate was evaluated by MTT assay. After exposure to different concentrations of TBT (0,1,2,3,4 μmol/L) for 2 h,the ROS level and DNA damage of FL cells were measured by DCFH_DA method and the single cell gel electrophoresis method, respectively. RESULTS: After exposure to different concentrations of TBT for 4 h, the FL cell proliferation rates in the 2, 8, 10 μmol/L groups were significantly decreased as compared to control(P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001) in a dose_dependent manner. The ROS level was increased in the 3 and 4 μmol/L groups in the dose_dependent manner and the difference was significant at 4 μmol/L group compared to the control(P<0.05). Meanwhile, TBT exposure led to the interrelated increase of nucleus tail length and tail moment in a dose－dependent manner and the differences were significant at 2, 3 and 4 μmol/L group compared to the control(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TBT exposure could cause oxidative stress and DNA damage to FL cells.

Key words: tributyltin, oxidative damage, DNA damage, apoptosis