A toxicogenomic approach for development of biomarkers of pesticide exposure

CESCHIN, DANILO GUILLERMO; MARDIROSIAN, MARIANA; PIRES, NATALIA SUSANA; LASCANO, CECILIA INÉS; VENTURINO, ANDRÉS

Congreso; 9th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries and XIX Congresso Brasileiro de Toxicología; 2015

Northern Patagonia is an irrigated area holding 95% of exportable production of apple and pear. Around 900 ton/year of pesticides have been applied since year 2000 where 90% correspond to organophosphates. 50% of the pesticides applied are dispersed into the atmosphere without reaching the intended targets and ending mainly in irrigation canals, ponds, streams and rivers. Biomonitoring of environmental impact of pesticides using native species is a preferred resource for its ecological significance. Rhinella arenarum is a toad widely distributed in Argentina and less in Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay. Organophosphates produce lethal and sublethal organism effects including presence of abnormalities, impaired growth and biochemical effects. In this sense, enzymes and metabolites of detoxification system are widely used as biomarkers. However, many of them are not specific and in several cases not responsive enough. Therefore, it is necessary to develop early, specific and sensitive ecotoxicological biomarkers. Here, we present a high throughput approach (RNA-Seq) to screen new potential biomarkers in R. arenarum larvae exposed to chlorpyrifos (CLP) pesticide.