Developmental effects after maternal exposure to a low-dose mixture of neonicotinoid and carbamate insecticides during gestation in rats.

VIALE, M; LONGONI V; WOLANSKY MJ; KANDEL GAMBARTE, P; ROVEDATTI, MG

Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires

Congreso; Xma Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Biología del Desarrollo (LASDB Meeting 2019); 2019

Sociedad Latinoamericana de Biología del Desarrollo

Agricultural pest control takes advantage of the combined activity of carbamate(CBM) and neonicotinoid (NNT) insecti cides. Repeat maternal exposure to multiple pesticides during gestation may cause offspring?s developmental disorders. CBMs primarily inhibit neuronal acetylcholinesterase. NNTs cause cholinergic hyperexcitation. This study explores if combined low dose gestational exposure to insecticides with different modes of action [CBM Carbaryl CBL; NNT Acetamiprid ACP] dissolved in drinking water may result in developmental toxicity. Rats were administered tap water (control) or a combination of NOAEL like doses (3 mg/kg/day CBL; 6 mg/kg/day ACP) dissolved in drinking water from gestational day (GD) 2 to 19 [n (litters) = 7]. After cesarean section in GD19, morphometric measures (placenta and fetuses) and enzyme activity (maternal liver and blood;placenta) assays were used to assess effects. Treatment decreased maternal weight gain (45%), fetal head length (8%) and number of viable fetuses (23%), and increased fetal resorptions (120%) and post implantation dea ths (116%),compared to control. No treatment related effect was observed in the fetal and placental weight, maternal blood acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities, and carboxylesterase activity of maternal liver and placenta. These results suggest that simultaneous repeat gestational exposure t o apparently subtoxic doses of CBM and NNT insecticides may disrupt prenatal development.