MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN THE UTERUS OF ADULT RATS FED WITH CAFETERIA DIET AND EXPOSED TO A GLYPHOSATE-BASED HERBICIDE

ZANARDI, MV; GASTIAZORO, MP; ZIERAU, O; VARAYOUD, J; DURANDO, M.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXIV JORNADAS ANUALES DE LA SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE BIOLOGIA; 2022

The development of endometrial hyperplasia (EH), a preneoplastic lesion, is associated with environmental factors, includingunhealthy diets and chemical exposure. In this sense, we have demonstrated that cafeteria diet (CAF) provoked EH in adult rats andthat the exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) altered the uterine development, leading to EH later in life. However, thepotential interaction between these environmental factors that women are frequently co-exposed remains unclear. Thus, weevaluated whether the addition of a subchronical low-dose of a GBH enhances the CAF-effects on the rat uterus. Female Wistar ratsat postnatal day (PND) 21 were randomly divided into: Control group, fed with chow diet; CAF group, fed with CAF, andCAF+GBH group, fed with CAF and added of a GBH from PND 140. Rats were sacrificed at PND 240. Serum samples werecollected to assess 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) levels, and uterine samples were obtained for histological studies(morphometric and immunohistochemical analysis). The levels of E2 and P4 were similar in CAF and CAF+GBH rats respect toControl rats (p=0.208). However, the serum levels of P4 were increased in CAF+GBH group respect to CAF one (p=0.018). In theuterus, the addition of GBH enhanced the presence of preneoplastic lesions induced by CAF alone, reflected by an increased densityof glands with cellular anomalies plus glands with daughter glands in CAF+GBH group than in CAF and Control groups (p=0.002).At protein level, higher cell proliferation and expression of estrogen receptor alpha were found in CAF and CAF+GBH groupsrespect to Control group (p