Glyphosate and a glyphosate-based herbicide induce fetal growth retardation in second-generation rat offspring

LORENZ, VIRGINIA; PACINI, GUILLERMINA; CADAVIZ, DALMA B.; MILESI, MARÍA M.; VARAYOUD, JORGELINA

Buenos Aires (Modalidad Virtual)

Simposio; International Symposium on Reproductive Health: overcoming barriers for research in reproduction; 2021

Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFyBO) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)

Epidemiological evidence indicates that maternal exposure to pesticides is associated with stillbirth, altered birth weight or congenital defects. Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the pesticides most applied worldwide, and the effects of commercial formulations and its active ingredient glyphosate (Gly) on reproductive health of present and future generations constitute a matter of global interest. We aimed to evaluate whether in utero and lactational exposure to Gly or a GBH induce growth alterations or congenital anomalies in second-generation (F2) offspring. Gly or a GBH (2 mg of glyphosate/kg/day) was administered to F0 pregnant rats through food from gestational day (GD) 9 until weaning. The serum levels of Gly were determined in F0 dams on GD22 and lactational day 21 by UHPLC-MS/MS. Sexually mature F1 females became pregnant and on GD19, F2 fetuses were removed. Morphometric features of F2 offspring were examined: fetal weight, length and morphology, placental weight and placental index. Glyphosate serum levels in F0 dams were similar along the treatment, however, higher levels of Gly were detected in GBH-exposed dams (p