Neurotoxicity of glyphosate involves changes in Wnt5a expression in vivo and in hippocampal neurons in culture.

COULLERY, ROMINA; ROSSO, SB

Huerta Grande- Córdoba

Congreso; XXVI Congreso Annual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencia.; 2011

Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencia

Glyphosate is known as the active ingredient of Roundup, it is widely used as a non-selective herbicide. There are few evidences about its toxicity and the mechanism of action on mammals. In this work, we study the potential effect of glyphosate on nervous system during development. We designed in vivo assays and neuronal cultured experiment to analyze its potential toxicity. Results showed that animals exposed to the glyphosate during gestational period revealed an impairment of reflex responses and locomotor activity. Furthermore, in vitro assays from hippocampal cultured neurons exposed to glyphosate showed a delay in their differentiation. Thus, glyphosate treated neurons did not polarize after 24h in culture and neurons exposed for 2 days showed one axon and few dendrites which exhibited a significant decrease in length and complexity. Importantly, glyphosate treated neurons showed a significant decreased in the expression of Wnt5a, an essential factor for normal axon outgrowth and development. Glyphosate effect on neuronal morphology was reverted when exogenous Wnt5a factor was added to the medium. These evidences suggest that the glyphosate is a potential neurotoxic which affect the neuronal development and functioning involving essential Wnt-signalling pathways.