Zinc phosphide causes apoptosis in avian lymphocytes

Studies were carried out on in-vitro induction of apoptosis in avian lymphocyte due to zinc phosphide, a rodenticide. For this purpose one batch of avian splenic lymphocytes were treated with various concentrations of NOEL/10², NOEL/10³, NOEL/10⁴, NOEL/10⁵, NOEL/10⁶ and NOEL/10⁷ dose of zinc phosphide for 30, 60 and 90 min and another batch of cells was kept as untreated control. The cells were collected in 2.5% glutaraldehyde for ultrastructural examination on transmission and scanning electron microscope. Immunoperoxidase staining was performed for demonstrate of phosphatidylserine using Annexin-V biotin and avidin peroxidase conjugate. Agarose gel electrophoresis was carried out on isolated DNA for ladder pattern and lymphocyte proliferation assay was performed in 96 well sterilized culture plates using ConA and LPS as mitogen for T- and B-Iymphocytes, respectively. It can be concluded from the present study that the zinc phosphide can induce the apoptosis in avian lymphocytes which may further lead to a state of immunosuppression. It constitutes the first report of zinc phosphide induced apoptosis in avian lymphocytes.