Maternal cypermethrin exposure during perinatal period dysregulates gonadal steroidogenesis, gametogenesis and sperm epigenome in F1 rat offspring

Pyrethroid pesticide exposure and placental effects

Human exposures to pyrethroid pesticides have increased in recent years following the bans and sanctions placed on other families of pesticides. Although pyrethroids are currently widely used across the United States and throughout the world, and their overt neurological toxicity classified, the extent of their toxicity through low dose and chronic exposures on humans is less well characterized, particularly when it comes to prenatal exposures, their impacts on neurodevelopment, and any role for the placenta in those effects. In this review, we assess the state of research on pyrethroid pesticide exposure and placental effects. These studies presented hormone disrupting, genotoxic, neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral effects, among others, following prenatal pyrethroid exposures, and highlights a need for future research to assess gaps relating to effects in the human placenta and mechanisms of toxicity as well as shortcomings in the reproducibility and standardization of the methodologies presented.

Impact of endocrine disruptors on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro: role of gender

Humans can be exposed to endocrine disruptors (EDs) in numerous ways. EDs can interfere with endogenous hormones at different levels, resulting in numerous adverse human health outcomes, including immunotoxicity. In this regard, this study aimed to investigate in vitro the possible effects of EDs on immune cells and possible gender differences. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy humans, both males and females, were exposed to 6 different EDs, namely atrazine (herbicide), cypermethrin (insecticide), diethyl phthalate (plasticizer), 17α-ethynylestradiol (contraceptive drug), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (persistent organic pollutant), and vinclozolin (fungicide). We evaluated the effect of EDs on RACK1 (receptor for activated C kinase 1) expression, considering it as a bridge between the endocrine and the immune system, and putatively used as screening tool of immunotoxic effects of EDs. The exposure to EDs resulted at different extent in alteration in RACK1 expression, pro-inflammatory activity, natural killer lytic ability, and lymphocyte differentiation, with sex-related differences. In particular, diethyl phthalate and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid resulted the most active EDs tested, with gender differences in terms of effects and magnitude. The results from our study evidenced the ability of EDs to directly affect immune cells.

Developmental origins of adult diseases

The occurrence and mechanisms of developmental adult diseases have gradually attracted attention in recent years. Exposure of gametes and embryos to adverse environments, especially during plastic development, can alter the expression of certain tissue-specific genes, leading to increased susceptibility to certain diseases in adulthood, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric, and reproductive system diseases, etc. The occurrence of chronic disease in adulthood is partly due to genetic factors, and the remaining risk is partly due to environmental-dependent epigenetic information alteration, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs. Changes in this epigenetic information potentially damage our health, which has also been supported by numerous epidemiological and animal studies in recent years. Environmental factors functionally affect embryo development through epimutation, transmitting diseases to offspring and even later generations. This review mainly elaborated on the concept of developmental origins of adult diseases, and revealed the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these events, discussed the theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of related diseases.