Methoxychlor (MXC), an organo-chlorine insecticide, is a reproductive toxicant in females, causing apoptosis-mediated follicular atresia. To elucidate the potentials of Methoxychlor as a geno-toxicant, granulosa cells of healthy antral follicles, exposed to MXC and antioxidant, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, were studied by the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-dUTP nick end-labelling and single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assays.

MXC caused DNA fragmentation, as revealed by the increased incidence of dark brown condensed TUNEL positive cells in contrast with lightly brown TUNEL negative cells with maximum TUNEL positive cells were observed in 100 μg/mL MXC treated groups. Quantitatively, maximum geno-toxicity was exhibited at highest MXC treatment with percent tail DNA as 17.87 ± 0.85, 41.16 ± 3.94, and 47.73 ± 3.71 in comparison with control (0.65 ± 0.03, 2.91 ± 0.27, and 7.16 ± 1.39) after 24, 48 and 72 h exposure duration, respectively. MXC treated groups exhibited Type 1-Type 3 comets as compared to Type 0 comets in control groups. Supplementation of NAC led to significant (p < 0.05) decline in geno-toxicity in MXC treated groups with maximum amelioration observed at 5 and 10 mM.

Consequently, increased DNA damage attributed to the granulosa cells apoptosis in response to Methoxychlor exposure was significantly combated by NAC supplementation, preventing the geno-toxicity induced cyto-toxicity in GCs.

甲氧氯 (MXC) 是一种有机氯杀虫剂，是雌性的生殖毒物，可导致细胞凋亡介导的卵泡闭锁。为了阐明甲氧氯作为基因毒物的潜力，通过末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶-dUTP 缺口末端标记和单细胞凝胶研究暴露于 MXC 和抗氧化剂N-乙酰-l-半胱氨酸的健康窦卵泡的颗粒细胞电泳（彗星）分析。

MXC 引起 DNA 片段化，正如在 100 μg/mL MXC 处理组中观察到的深棕色浓缩 TUNEL 阳性细胞与浅棕色 TUNEL 阴性细胞相比具有最大 TUNEL 阳性细胞的发生率增加所揭示的。在数量上，与对照组（0.65±0.03、2.91±0.27、±7.19）相比，在尾DNA百分比为17.87±0.85、41.16±3.94和47.73±3.71的最高MXC处理中表现出最大的基因毒性。暴露时间分别为 48 小时和 72 小时。与对照组中的 0 型彗星相比，MXC 处理组展示了 1 型 3 型彗星。补充 NAC 导致 MXC 处理组的基因毒性显着（p < 0.05）下降，在 5 和 10 mM 时观察到最大改善。

因此，由于甲氧氯暴露引起的颗粒细胞凋亡增加的 DNA 损伤被 NAC 补充剂显着对抗，从而防止了 GC 中的基因毒性诱导的细胞毒性。