Evaluation of cholinesterase and lipid profile levels in chronic pesticide exposed persons

Serum PFAS and lipid concentrations in Ecuadorian adolescents

There is growing evidence that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may alter serum lipid concentrations; however, this topic is understudied in adolescents and Latin American populations. We aimed to characterize these associations among adolescents in Ecuador's main floricultural region. This cross-sectional study included 97 adolescents ages 11-17 years from Pedro Moncayo County, Ecuador. Generalized estimating equation models were applied to estimate the associations of serum perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) concentrations with serum lipids. Models were adjusted for age, gender, height, body mass index (BMI), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and hemoglobin concentrations. Significant inverse relationships between PFAS and triglycerides were observed in females (% lipid difference per 50% increase in: PFOS= -15.0% [95%CI: -24.72, -4.06], PFNA= -25.49% [-36.93, -12.00], and PFOA= -16.55% [-28.16, -3.07]) but not in males. No associations were observed between total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and any PFAS. PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA were inversely associated with triglycerides in adolescent females but not males. Further characterization of gender-specific associations of PFAS and blood lipids in adolescents is warranted.

Orally administered organophosphorus dimethoate mediated biochemical alterations in male and female experimental Rattus norvegicus (albino rats)

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the toxicity of orally administered organophosphorus dimethoate pesticide in Rattus norvegicus on the basis of biochemical alterations in the blood. There was a total of eight groups: two control groups and six treatment groups. Albino rats of the exposed groups were fed simple laboratory chow along with a low dose: five milliliters were given to the T1 group; the medium dose, ten milliliters, was given to the T2 group; and the high dose, twenty milliliters, was given to the T3 group of dimethoate pesticide for thirty, sixty, or ninety days under controlled laboratory conditions. At the end of the experiment, any weight gain, changes in the blood parameters, or biochemical changes were determined. The results revealed increases in the total glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels in the exposed groups of both genders of albino rats. There were decreases in the levels of urea, uric acid and total bilirubin in the exposed groups of both genders of albino rats. These effects did not vary between the sexes. This study provides a foundation for further research on the long-term effects of dimethoate and similar pesticides, promoting the development of safer alternatives.

Betaine alleviates methomyl-triggered oxidative stress-mediated cardiopulmonary inflammation in rats through iNOS/Cox2 and Nrf2/HO1/Keap1 signaling pathway

Methomyl (MET), a universally used insecticide, has many adverse effects on various organs in both humans and animals including the liver, kidneys, and heart. Betaine (BET), a natural antioxidant, has a protective role against many toxicants-induced cardiovascular disorders. The present study was designed to elucidate the molecular mechanistic way underlying the mitigating effect of BET against MET-induced cardiopulmonary injury and inflammation in rats. Four groups of rats were used and orally administered the consequent materials daily for 28 days: normal saline, BET (250 mg/kg bwt), MET (2 mg/kg bwt), MET + BET. Blood and tissue (heart & lungs) samples were collected to assess the oxidative stress markers, lipid profile, biochemical markers, microscopic appearance, and inflammatory gene regulations. The results proved that MET induced oxidant/antioxidant imbalance, elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and deterioration in lipid profile. The histopathological inspection showed severe myocardial necrosis and interstitial pneumonia along with bronchitis and alveolar damage. There was a marked increase in the intensity of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) immunostaining with marked upregulation of the transcriptase levels of keap-1gene and downregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) genes in both heart and lung tissues of MET group. Otherwise, the coadministration of BET with MET markedly alleviated the abovementioned toxicological parameters. We can conclude that BET was able to reduce the MET-induced oxidative stress-mediated cardiovascular injury and pulmonary inflammation by modulating Keap-1/Nrf-2 signaling pathway and inactivating Cox-2 and iNOS expression which therefore reduced further cellular damage and inflammatory response.

The protective role of L-carnitine on oxidative stress, neurotransmitter perturbations, astrogliosis, and apoptosis induced by thiamethoxam in the brains of male rats

Synthetic organic insecticides such as pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids, and others have the potential to disrupt ecosystems and are often toxic to humans. Thiamethoxam (TMX), a neonicotinoid insecticide , is a widely used insecticide with neurotoxic potential. L-Carnitine (LC) is regarded as the "gatekeeper" in charge of allowing long-chain fatty acids into cell mitochondria. LC is an endogenous chemical that is renowned for its prospective biological activity in addition to its role in energy metabolism. This study investigated the protective effects of LC against TMX-induced neurotoxicity in male Wistar rats. For 28 days, animals were divided into four groups and treated daily with either LC (300 mg/kg), TMX (100 mg/kg), or both at the aforementioned doses. Our results revealed marked serum lipid profile and electrolyte changes, declines in brain antioxidants and neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin levels) with elevations in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and proinflammatory cytokine levels, as well as acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase brain activity in TMX-treated rats. TMX also increased the expression of caspase-3 and glial fibrillary acidic protein. In contrast, pretreatment with LC attenuated TMX-induced brain injury by suppressing oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines and modulating neurotransmitter levels. It also ameliorated the expression of apoptotic and astrogliosis markers. It could be concluded that LC has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-astrogliosis, and anti-apoptotic potential against TMX neurotoxicity.

Citrus reticulata peel extract mitigates oxidative stress and liver injury induced by abamectin in rats

The prevalent use of abamectin (ABM) has latterly raised safety attention as it has different toxicities to non-target living organisms. Citrus fruits are widely renowned for their nutritional and health-promoting qualities, and their peels are full of phenolic constituents. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the modulatory effectiveness of Citrus reticulata peel extract (CPE) against abamectin-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative injury. Rats were distributed into 4 groups as follows: control, CPE (400 mg/kg bw orally for 14 days), ABM (2 mg/kg bw for 5 days), and CPE + ABM at the doses mentioned above. Results revealed that GC-MS analysis of CPE has 19 identified components with significant total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Treatment with ABM in rats displayed significant variations in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, oxidative stress markers (MDA, H2O2, PCC), liver and kidney function biomarkers, hematological parameters, lipids, and protein profile as well as histopathological abnormalities, inflammation and apoptosis (TNF-α, Caspase-3, NF-κB, and Bcl-2 genes) in rats' liver. Supplementation of CPE solo dramatically improved the antioxidant state and reduced oxidative stress. C. reticulata peel extract pretreatment alleviated ABM toxicity by modulating most of the tested parameters compared to the ABM group. Conclusively, CPE had potent antioxidant activity and could be used in the modulation of ABM hepatotoxicity presumably due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gene-regulating capabilities.

Associations between pesticide exposure with biomarkers of stroke risk factors in farmers

The extensive use of pesticides may cause acute and chronic intoxication. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the associations between pesticide exposure and serum markers for stroke risk factors in farmers. A cross-sectional study was conducted with farmers, who used chemical pesticides in Seloprojo Village, Ngablak District, Magelang Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. A questionnaire containing demographics, pesticide use, and aspects related to work was employed. Measurements of serum cholesterol, uric acid, glucose, cholinesterase, and fibrinogen levels were also conducted. Of the 106 subjects, 31 (29.2%) used organophosphates as chemical pesticides. There was a significant difference between organophosphate and nonorganophosphate groups in plasma fibrinogen levels. The organophosphate group had higher levels of fibrinogen (292.29 ± 67.56 mg/dL) than the non-organophosphate group (255.24 ± 38.90 mg/dL). Of the studied risk factors for stroke, there is a significant association between organophosphate exposure and increased plasma fibrinogen levels.

Organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides: Molecular toxicology and laboratory testing

Population and food requirements are increasing daily throughout the world. To fulfil these requirements application of pesticides is also increasing. Organophosphorous (OP) and Organocarbamate (OC) compounds are widely used pesticides. These pesticides are used for suicidal purposes too. Both inhibit Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cholinergic symptoms are mainly used for the diagnosis of pesticide poisoning. Although the symptoms of the intoxication of OP and OC are similar, recent research has described different targets for OP and OC pesticides. Researchers believe the distinction of OP/OC poisoning will be beneficial for the management of pesticide exposure. OP compounds produce adducts with several proteins. There is a new generation of OP compounds like glyphosate that do not inhibit AChE. Therefore, it's high time to develop biomarkers that can distinguish OP poisoning from OC poisoning.

Urinary Organophosphate Metabolites and Metabolic Biomarkers of Conventional and Organic Farmers in Thailand

Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are used by most farmers to remove insects and to increase productivity; however, questions remain on the long-term health impacts of their use. This study assessed the relationship between OP biomarker levels and metabolic biomarker parameters. Conventional farmers (n = 213) and organic farmers (n = 225) were recruited, interviewed, and had physical health examinations. Serum glucose and lipid profiles, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) were measured. The average age, gender, education, and self-reported agricultural work time, work in second jobs, smoking status, alcohol consumption, insecticide use at home, home location near farmlands and years of pesticide use were significantly different between the conventional and organic farmers. The urinary OP metabolite levels were also significantly different between the two groups. With an increase in urinary diethyl phosphate, dimethyl phosphate and dialkyl phosphate metabolites, the total cholesterol, LDL and HDL, were significantly increased for all farmers after controlling for age, gender, alcohol consumption, years of pesticide use, and home location near farmlands. The results are consistent with our previous studies which suggests that pesticide usage, especially organophosphates, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke among Thai farmers.

Cholinesterase homozygous genotype as susceptible biomarker of hypertriglyceridaemia for pesticide-exposed agricultural workers

PURPOSE

Dyslipidemia is an emerging metabolic disorder among pesticide-exposed agricultural workers, and this study was aimed to explore biomarkers of hypertriglyceridaemia susceptibility.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited 72 pesticide-exposed subjects and 78 non-exposed controls. Lipid profile, cholinesterase activity, and thyroid hormones were analysed with routine assays. Six loci, including rs11206244 and rs2235544 for deiodinase 1, rs12885300 and rs225014 for deiodinase 2, rs1803274 for butyrylcholinesterase, and rs3757869 for acetylcholinesterase were genotyped using an improved multiplex ligation detection reaction technique.

RESULTS

Pesticide-exposed subjects showed higher levels of triglyceride than controls (p = 0.009), although there were comparable cholinesterase activity and genotype frequencies of all six loci between pesticide-exposed subjects and controls. Pesticide-exposed subjects with homozygous genotype of cholinesterase had increased triglyceride levels than controls (p < 0.05). The percentage of hypertriglyceridaemia was 28.6% and 8.8% for pesticide-exposed subjects and controls with homozygous butyrylcholinesterase genotype (p = 0.007) and 20.8% and 14.3% with homozygous acetylcholinesterase genotype (p = 0.792), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses found that odds ratio of hypertriglyceridaemia is 21.92 and 4.56 for pesticide-exposed subjects with homozygous genotype of butyrylcholinesterase (p = 0.001) and acetylcholinesterase (p = 0.036), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Cholinesterase homozygous genotype might be a potential susceptible biomarker in screening pesticide-exposed agricultural workers vulnerable to hypertriglyceridaemia.

The association between diazinon exposure and dyslipidemia occurrence: a systematic and meta-analysis study

The effects of diazinon (DZN), an organophosphate pesticide, on lipid profiles have been extensively reported. However, controversy on this issue persists. Here, we performed a systematic and meta-analysis study to investigate the association between DZN exposure and dyslipidemia in rodents and fish species. This systematic review was prepared according to the PRISMA guidelines. Main databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science, were systematically searched through March 4, 2020. The risk of bias was evaluated with the SYRCLE's RoB tool. Once all articles were assessed for scientific quality, a random-effects model was applied to perform a pooled analysis. I2 and Q test were used to assess the heterogeneity between articles, and Forest plots, indicating point and pooled estimates, were drawn. Twenty-eight articles were included; between them, 13 publications were selected for meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis showed low heterogeneity between the articles. A pooled analysis indicated that DZN significantly increased total cholesterol levels (95% CI: 0.86-3.79; Z = 3.10; p = 0.002), triglyceride (95% CI: 0.38-3.22; Z = 2.48; p = 0.09), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95% CI: 0.25-2.85; Z = 2.34; p = 0.7) in the DZN vs. control groups. In addition, DZN significantly decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95% CI: - 2.92, - 0.42; Z = 2.62; p = 0.07) in the DZN vs. control groups. No publication bias was observed. Our findings suggest that DZN induces dyslipidemia in rodents and fish species in a dose-dependent manner.

Longitudinal Study of Metabolic Biomarkers among Conventional and Organic Farmers in Thailand

The aim of this longitudinal study is to assess how pesticide use may impact metabolic biomarkers by collecting and comparing data from conventional (n = 13) and organic farmers (n = 225) every eight months for four rounds. Farmers were interviewed about family health history, food consumption behaviors, self-reported health problems, agricultural activities, and history of pesticide use. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Blood samples were collected for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), blood glucose, and triglycerides. A linear mixed model with random intercepts for subjects was used to compare the metabolic biomarkers between conventional and organic farmers and to examine the impact of the number of pesticide spray days for all four rounds after controlling for covariates. The conventional farmers reported using insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. The marginal means for chemical farmers were significantly higher than organic farmers for total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, BMI, and waist circumference. Increasing the number of days of spraying either insecticides or fungicides was associated with an increase in HDL, LDL, and cholesterol levels. Increasing the number of herbicide spray days was associated with an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a decrease in BMI. These findings suggest that pesticide-using conventional farmers may be at higher risk of metabolic disease in the future.