Neurotoxicity of the pesticide rotenone on neuronal polarization: a mechanistic approach

SANCHEZ, MÓNICA; BISBAL, MARIANO

NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH

SHENYANG EDITORIAL DEPT NEURAL REGENERATION RES

Año: 2019 vol. 14 p. 762 - 766

1673-5374

Neurons are the most extensive and polarized cells that display a unique single long axon and multipledendrites, which are compartments exhibiting structural and functional differences. Polarity occurs earlyin neuronal development and it is maintained by complex subcellular mechanisms throughout cell life. Awell-defined and controlled spatio-temporal program of cellular and molecular events strictly regulatesthe formation of the axon and dendrites from a non-polarized cell. This event is critical for an adequateneuronal wiring and therefore for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Neuronal polarity is verysensitive to the harmful effects of different factors present in the environment. In this regard, rotenone isa crystalline, colorless and odorless isoflavone used as insecticide, piscicide and broad spectrum pesticidecommonly used earlier in agriculture. In the present review we will summarize the toxicity mechanismcaused by this pesticide in different neuronal cell types, focusing on a particular biological mechanismwhereby rotenone could impair neuronal polarization in cultured hippocampal neurons. Recent advancessuggest that the inhibition of axonogenesis produced by rotenone could be related with its effect on microtubuledynamics, the actin cytoskeleton and their regulatory pathways, particularly affecting the smallRhoGTPase RhoA. Unveiling the mechanism by which rotenone produces neurotoxicity will be instrumentalto understand the cellular mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases influenced by thisenvironmental pollutant, which may lead to research focused on the design of new therapeutic strategies.