The effect of environmental factors on sister chromatid exchange incidence in domestic horse (Equus caballus) chromosomes.

The SCE test is often used as a sensitive and reliable technique in the biomonitoring of genotoxicity of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents. This study analysed the frequency of sister chromatid exchange in domestic horse chromosomes depending on the habitat and age of the analysed horses. The chromosome preparations were obtained from an in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes stained using the FPG technique. Both the habitat and the age significantly influence SCE frequency. A higher SCE incidence was observed in horses that lived in a large urban agglomeration than in those from the country. Also, a higher SCE incidence was identified in the group of horses above 6 years of age in comparison with the younger ones. Additionally, the frequency of SCEs in the first, second and third chromosomes and the X sex chromosome were analysed in detail. More exposed to the effect of environmental pollutants, the horses from the urban environment developed more double and triple SCEs in comparison with the village horses. The urban horses also developed quadruple SCEs, in addition to the less frequent exchanges.