Inhibitory effects of pesticides on growth and respiration of cultured cells

Effects of various drugs including pesticides on the growth and respiration of cultured cells were evaluated comparatively using cell lines derived from mosquito ovary and subcutaneous mouse tissues. The concentration producing 50% inhibition of cell growth, I₅₀ (M), was determined for each of 42 drugs. Inhibitors of respiration and nucleic acid and protein biosyntheses such as rotenone, piericidin A₁, actinomycin D, and puromycin had very high pI₅₀ values of approximately 8. Except for the compounds known to be uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, the drugs suppressed the respiration rate of the cultured cells to various degrees. The pI₅₀ value (and the pEC₁₅₀, 150% enhancement of the control, value for uncouplers) was determined for each compound. By examining the relation of pI₅₀ (and pEC₁₅₀) values between cell growth and respiration, the compounds could be classified into two groups according to their modes of inhibitory action against the cultured cells. One mode relates to the inhibition of energy synthesis and the other, perhaps, to interference with the biosynthesis of biomacromolecules.