Effects of In Vivo Exposure to Roundup® on Immune System of Caiman latirostris.

LATORRE MARÍA AGUSTINA; LÓPEZ GONZÁLEZ EVELYN C.; LARRIERA ALEJANDRO; SIROSKI PABLO A.; POLETTA GISELA L.

JOURNAL OF IMMUNOTOXICOLOGY

INFORMA HEALTHCARE

Lugar: London; Año: 2012 p. 1 - 6

1547-691X

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Roundup (RU, glyphosate-basedformulation) on some parameters of the immune system and growth of Caiman latirostris.Seventy-two caimans (20-day-old) from Proyecto Yacare´ (Gob. Santa Fe/MUPCN) were used.Two groups were exposed for 2 months to different concentrations of RU (11 or 21 mg/L; takinginto account the concentration recommended for its application in the field), while one groupwas maintained as control. The RU concentration was progressively decreased through theexposure period to simulate glyphosate degradation in water. Animals were measured andweighed at the beginning and end of the experiment, and blood samples taken after exposureto determine total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts as well as total proteinconcentration (TPC), and for performing protein electrophoresis. The results showed that,compared against control hosts, there was a decrease in WBC counts, a higher percentage ofheterophils, a higher TPC (with a low percentage of F2 protein fraction), and a negative effecton growth in the young caimans exposed to RU. These results demonstrate that in vivoexposure to RU induced alterations in the selected immune parameters, plasma proteins, andgrowth of caimans, thereby providing relevant information about the effects of this type ofpesticide in this important species in the Argentinian wetlands.