1
|
Chang VC, Zhou W, Berndt SI, Andreotti G, Yeager M, Parks CG, Sandler DP, Rothman N, Beane Freeman LE, Machiela MJ, Hofmann JN. Glyphosate Use and Mosaic Loss of Chromosome Y among Male Farmers in the Agricultural Health Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:127006. [PMID: 38055050 PMCID: PMC10699410 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide and has been implicated in the development of certain hematologic cancers. Although mechanistic studies in human cells and animals support the genotoxic effects of glyphosate, evidence in human populations is scarce. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the association between lifetime occupational glyphosate use and mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY) as a marker of genotoxicity among male farmers. METHODS We analyzed blood-derived DNA from 1,606 farmers ≥ 50 years of age in the Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Agriculture study, a subcohort of the Agricultural Health Study. mLOY was detected using genotyping array intensity data in the pseudoautosomal region of the sex chromosomes. Cumulative lifetime glyphosate use was assessed using self-reported pesticide exposure histories. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between glyphosate use and any detectable mLOY (overall mLOY) or mLOY affecting ≥ 10 % of cells (expanded mLOY). RESULTS Overall, mLOY was detected in 21.4% of farmers, and 9.8% of all farmers had expanded mLOY. Increasing total lifetime days of glyphosate use was associated with expanded mLOY [highest vs. lowest quartile; OR = 1.75 (95% CI: 1.00, 3.07), p trend = 0.03 ] but not with overall mLOY; the associations with expanded mLOY were most apparent among older (≥ 70 years of age) men [OR = 2.30 (95% CI: 1.13, 4.67), p trend = 0.01 ], never smokers [OR = 2.32 (95% CI: 1.04, 5.21), p trend = 0.04 ], and nonobese men [OR = 2.04 (95% CI: 0.99, 4.19), p trend = 0.03 ]. Similar patterns of associations were observed for intensity-weighted lifetime days of glyphosate use. DISCUSSION High lifetime glyphosate use could be associated with mLOY affecting a larger fraction of cells, suggesting glyphosate could confer genotoxic or selective effects relevant for clonal expansion. As the first study to investigate this association, our findings contribute novel evidence regarding the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate and require replication in future studies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12834.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vicky C. Chang
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Weiyin Zhou
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sonja I. Berndt
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gabriella Andreotti
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Meredith Yeager
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine G. Parks
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Dale P. Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, DHHS, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nathaniel Rothman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mitchell J. Machiela
- Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, NCI, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rana I, Nguyen PK, Rigutto G, Louie A, Lee J, Smith MT, Zhang L. Mapping the key characteristics of carcinogens for glyphosate and its formulations: A systematic review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 339:139572. [PMID: 37474029 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate was classified as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) partially due to strong mechanistic evidence in 2015. Since then, numerous studies of glyphosate and its formulations (GBF) have emerged. These studies can be evaluated for cancer hazard identification with the newly described ten key characteristics (KC) of carcinogens approach. Our objective was to assess all in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro mechanistic studies of human and experimental animals (mammals) that compared exposure to glyphosate/GBF with low/no exposure counterparts for evidence of the ten KCs. A protocol with our methods adhering to PRISMA guidelines was registered a priori (INPLASY202180045). Two blinded reviewers screened all in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro studies of glyphosate/GBF exposure in humans/mammals reporting any KC-related outcome available in PubMed before August 2021. Studies that met inclusion criteria underwent data extraction conducted in duplicate for each KC outcome reported along with key aspects of internal/external validity, results, and reference information. These data were used to construct a matrix that was subsequently analyzed in the program R to conduct strength of evidence and quality assessments. Of the 2537 articles screened, 175 articles met inclusion criteria, from which we extracted >50,000 data points related to KC outcomes. Data analysis revealed strong evidence for KC2, KC4, KC5, KC6, KC8, limited evidence for KC1 and KC3, and inadequate evidence for KC7, KC9, and KC10. Notably, our in-depth quality analyses of genotoxicity (KC2) and endocrine disruption (KC8) revealed strong and consistent positive findings. For KC2, we found: 1) studies conducted in humans and human cells provided stronger positive evidence than counterpart animal models; 2) GBF elicited a stronger effect in both human and animal systems when compared to glyphosate alone; and 3) the highest quality studies in humans and human cells consistently revealed strong evidence of genotoxicity. Our analysis of KC8 indicated that glyphosate's ability to modulate hormone levels and estrogen receptor activity is sensitive to both exposure concentration and formulation. The modulations observed provide clear evidence that glyphosate interacts with receptors, alters receptor activation, and modulates the levels and effects of endogenous ligands (including hormones). Our findings strengthen the mechanistic evidence that glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen and provide biological plausibility for previously reported cancer associations in humans, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We identified potential molecular interactions and subsequent key events that were used to generate a probable pathway to lymphomagenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iemaan Rana
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Patton K Nguyen
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Gabrielle Rigutto
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Allen Louie
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Jane Lee
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Martyn T Smith
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Luoping Zhang
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zúñiga-Venegas LA, Hyland C, Muñoz-Quezada MT, Quirós-Alcalá L, Butinof M, Buralli R, Cardenas A, Fernandez RA, Foerster C, Gouveia N, Gutiérrez Jara JP, Lucero BA, Muñoz MP, Ramírez-Santana M, Smith AR, Tirado N, van Wendel de Joode B, Calaf GM, Handal AJ, Soares da Silva A, Cortés S, Mora AM. Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure in Latin American and the Caribbean Populations: A Scoping Review. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:96002. [PMID: 36173136 PMCID: PMC9521041 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to pesticides is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the literature on pesticide-related health effects in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, an area of intensive agricultural and residential pesticide use, is sparse. We conducted a scoping review to describe the current state of research on the health effects of pesticide exposure in LAC populations with the goal of identifying knowledge gaps and research capacity building needs. METHODS We searched PubMed and SciELO for epidemiological studies on pesticide exposure and human health in LAC populations published between January 2007 and December 2021. We identified 233 publications from 16 countries that met our inclusion criteria and grouped them by health outcome (genotoxicity, neurobehavioral outcomes, placental outcomes and teratogenicity, cancer, thyroid function, reproductive outcomes, birth outcomes and child growth, and others). RESULTS Most published studies were conducted in Brazil (37%, n = 88 ) and Mexico (20%, n = 46 ), were cross-sectional in design (72%, n = 167 ), and focused on farmworkers (45%, n = 105 ) or children (21%, n = 48 ). The most frequently studied health effects included genotoxicity (24%, n = 62 ) and neurobehavioral outcomes (21%, n = 54 ), and organophosphate (OP) pesticides were the most frequently examined (26%, n = 81 ). Forty-seven percent (n = 112 ) of the studies relied only on indirect pesticide exposure assessment methods. Exposure to OP pesticides, carbamates, or to multiple pesticide classes was consistently associated with markers of genotoxicity and adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, particularly among children and farmworkers. DISCUSSION Our scoping review provides some evidence that exposure to pesticides may adversely impact the health of LAC populations, but methodological limitations and inconsistencies undermine the strength of the conclusions. It is critical to increase capacity building, integrate research initiatives, and conduct more rigorous epidemiological studies in the region to address these limitations, better inform public health surveillance systems, and maximize the impact of research on public policies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9934.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liliana A. Zúñiga-Venegas
- Centro de Investigaciones de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Carly Hyland
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- School of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - María Teresa Muñoz-Quezada
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Mariana Butinof
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Rafael Buralli
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Ricardo A. Fernandez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Claudia Foerster
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales, Universidad de O’Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Nelson Gouveia
- Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Juan P. Gutiérrez Jara
- Centro de Investigaciones de Estudios Avanzados del Maule, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Boris A. Lucero
- Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - María Pía Muñoz
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Muriel Ramírez-Santana
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Anna R. Smith
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Noemi Tirado
- Instituto de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Louisiana Paz, Bolivia
| | - Berna van Wendel de Joode
- Infants’ Environmental Health Study, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Gloria M. Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexis J. Handal
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Sandra Cortés
- Centro Avanzado de Enfermedades Crónicas (ACCDiS), Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, Departamento de Salud Pública, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana M. Mora
- Center for Environmental Research and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Infants’ Environmental Health Study, Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hausman-Cohen SR, Hausman-Cohen LJ, Williams GE, Bilich CE. Genomics of Detoxification: How Genomics can be Used for Targeting Potential Intervention and Prevention Strategies Including Nutrition for Environmentally Acquired Illness. J Am Coll Nutr 2021; 39:94-102. [PMID: 32027241 DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1713654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Due to their genomic variants, some individuals are more highly affected by toxicants than others. Toxicant metabolizing and activating variants have been linked with a wide variety of health issues including an increased risk of miscarriages, birth defects, Alzheimer's, benzene toxicity, mercury toxicity and cancer. The study of genomics allows a clinician to identify pathways that are less effective and then gives the clinician the opportunity to counsel their patients about diet, supplements and lifestyle modifications that can improve the function of these pathways or compensate to some extent for their deficits. This article will review a few of these critical pathways relating to phase I and phase 2 detox such as GSTP1, GPX1, GSTT1 deletions, PON1 and some of the CYP 450 system as examples of how an individual's genomic vulnerabilities to toxicants can be addressed by upregulating or downregulating specific pathways via genomically targeted use of foods, supplements and lifestyle changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carol E Bilich
- Resilient Health Austin and IntellxxDNATM, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gallegos CE, Bartos M, Gumilar F, Raisman-Vozari R, Minetti A, Baier CJ. Intranasal glyphosate-based herbicide administration alters the redox balance and the cholinergic system in the mouse brain. Neurotoxicology 2020; 77:205-215. [PMID: 31991143 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure is associated with cognitive and psychomotor disorders. Glyphosate-based herbicides (GlyBH) are among the most used agrochemicals, and inhalation of GlyBH sprays may arise from frequent aerial pulverizations. Previously, we described that intranasal (IN) administration of GlyBH in mice decreases locomotor activity, increases anxiety, and impairs recognition memory. Then, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms involved in GlyBH neurotoxicity after IN administration. Adult male CF-1 mice were exposed to GlyBH IN administration (equivalent to 50 mg/kg/day of Gly acid, 3 days a week, during 4 weeks). Total thiol content and the activity of the enzymes catalase, acetylcholinesterase and transaminases were evaluated in different brain areas. In addition, markers of the cholinergic and the nigrostriatal pathways, as well as of astrocytes were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy in coronal brain sections. The brain areas chosen for analysis were those seen to be affected in our previous study. GlyBH IN administration impaired the redox balance of the brain and modified the activities of enzymes involved in cholinergic and glutamatergic pathways. Moreover, GlyBH treatment decreased the number of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum as well as the expression of the α7-acetylcholine receptor in the hippocampus. Also, the number of astrocytes increased in the anterior olfactory nucleus of the exposed mice. Taken together, these disturbances may contribute to the neurobehavioural impairments reported previously by us after IN GlyBH administration in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Eugenia Gallegos
- Laboratorio de Toxicología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur (INBIOSUR), Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Bartos
- Laboratorio de Toxicología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur (INBIOSUR), Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fernanda Gumilar
- Laboratorio de Toxicología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur (INBIOSUR), Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rita Raisman-Vozari
- INSERM UMR 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, UPMC, ThérapeutiqueExpérimentale de la Neurodégénérescence, Hôpital de la Salpetrière-ICM (Institut du cerveau et de la moelleépinière), Paris, France
| | - Alejandra Minetti
- Laboratorio de Toxicología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur (INBIOSUR), Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carlos Javier Baier
- Laboratorio de Toxicología, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas y Biomédicas del Sur (INBIOSUR), Universidad Nacional del Sur-CONICET, San Juan 670, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Nagy K, Tessema RA, Budnik LT, Ádám B. Comparative cyto- and genotoxicity assessment of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides in human peripheral white blood cells. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 179:108851. [PMID: 31678731 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is the most heavily applied active compound of agricultural pesticides. It is solely used in more than 750 different glyphosate-based herbicide formulations (GBHs) that also contain other substances, mostly presumed as inert by regulatory agencies. The toxicity of formulations is currently assessed substance by substance, neglecting possible combined effects in mixtures and many of the findings regarding the toxic effects of glyphosate and GBHs to human cells are inconsistent. This is the first study to investigate and compare the cyto- and genotoxic potential of the active ingredient glyphosate and GBHs in human mononuclear white blood (HMWB) cells. HMWB cells were treated for 4 h at 37 °C with increasing concentrations (1-1000 μM) of glyphosate alone and in three GBHs (Roundup Mega, Fozat 480 and Glyfos) to test cytotoxic effect with fluorescent colabelling and genotoxic effect with comet assay. In addition, each concentration was tested with and without metabolic activation using human liver S9 fraction. We found that glyphosate alone does not induce significant cytotoxicity and genotoxicity over the tested concentration range. Contrarily, GBHs induced statistically significant cell death from 250 μM (Roundup Mega and Glyfos) and 500 μM (Fozat 480), as well as statistically significant increase of DNA damage from 500 μM (Roundup Mega and Glyfos) and 750 μM (Fozat 480); however, the latter observation may not be explained by direct DNA injuries, rather due to the high level of cell death (>70%) exerted by the formulations. Metabolic activation significantly increased the DNA damage levels induced by Glyfos, but not of the other GBHs and of glyphosate. The differences observed in the toxic pattern of formulations and the active principle may be attributed to the higher cytotoxic activity of other ingredients in the formulations or to the interaction of them with the active ingredient glyphosate. Hence, further investigation of formulations is crucial for assessing the true health risks of occupational and environmental exposures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Károly Nagy
- Division of Occupational Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Roba Argaw Tessema
- Division of Occupational Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lygia Therese Budnik
- Translational Toxicology and Immunology Unit, Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Balázs Ádám
- Division of Occupational Health, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang L, Rana I, Shaffer RM, Taioli E, Sheppard L. Exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides and risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A meta-analysis and supporting evidence. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2019; 781:186-206. [PMID: 31342895 PMCID: PMC6706269 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in the world. Recent evaluations of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) by various regional, national, and international agencies have engendered controversy. We investigated whether there was an association between high cumulative exposures to GBHs and increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in humans. We conducted a new meta-analysis that includes the most recent update of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort published in 2018 along with five case-control studies. Using the highest exposure groups when available in each study, we report the overall meta-relative risk (meta-RR) of NHL in GBH-exposed individuals was increased by 41% (meta-RR = 1.41, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.13-1.75). For comparison, we also performed a secondary meta-analysis using high-exposure groups with the earlier AHS (2005), and we calculated a meta-RR for NHL of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.11-1.91), which was higher than the meta-RRs reported previously. Multiple sensitivity tests conducted to assess the validity of our findings did not reveal meaningful differences from our primary estimated meta-RR. To contextualize our findings of an increased NHL risk in individuals with high GBH exposure, we reviewed publicly available animal and mechanistic studies related to lymphoma. We documented further support from studies of malignant lymphoma incidence in mice treated with pure glyphosate, as well as potential links between glyphosate / GBH exposure and immunosuppression, endocrine disruption, and genetic alterations that are commonly associated with NHL or lymphomagenesis. Overall, in accordance with findings from experimental animal and mechanistic studies, our current meta-analysis of human epidemiological studies suggests a compelling link between exposures to GBHs and increased risk for NHL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luoping Zhang
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
| | - Iemaan Rana
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Emanuela Taioli
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Andreotti G, Koutros S, Hofmann JN, Sandler DP, Lubin JH, Lynch CF, Lerro CC, De Roos AJ, Parks CG, Alavanja MC, Silverman DT, Beane Freeman LE. Glyphosate Use and Cancer Incidence in the Agricultural Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2018; 110:509-516. [PMID: 29136183 PMCID: PMC6279255 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djx233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, with both residential and agricultural uses. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans," noting strong mechanistic evidence and positive associations for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in some epidemiologic studies. A previous evaluation in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) with follow-up through 2001 found no statistically significant associations with glyphosate use and cancer at any site. Methods The AHS is a prospective cohort of licensed pesticide applicators from North Carolina and Iowa. Here, we updated the previous evaluation of glyphosate with cancer incidence from registry linkages through 2012 (North Carolina)/2013 (Iowa). Lifetime days and intensity-weighted lifetime days of glyphosate use were based on self-reported information from enrollment (1993-1997) and follow-up questionnaires (1999-2005). We estimated incidence rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Poisson regression, controlling for potential confounders, including use of other pesticides. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Among 54 251 applicators, 44 932 (82.8%) used glyphosate, including 5779 incident cancer cases (79.3% of all cases). In unlagged analyses, glyphosate was not statistically significantly associated with cancer at any site. However, among applicators in the highest exposure quartile, there was an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared with never users (RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 0.94 to 6.32, Ptrend = .11), though this association was not statistically significant. Results for AML were similar with a five-year (RRQuartile 4 = 2.32, 95% CI = 0.98 to 5.51, Ptrend = .07) and 20-year exposure lag (RRTertile 3 = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.05 to 3.97, Ptrend = .04). Conclusions In this large, prospective cohort study, no association was apparent between glyphosate and any solid tumors or lymphoid malignancies overall, including NHL and its subtypes. There was some evidence of increased risk of AML among the highest exposed group that requires confirmation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dale P Sandler
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | - Charles F Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- State Health Registry of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | | | - Anneclaire J De Roos
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Christine G Parks
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Brusick D, Aardema M, Kier L, Kirkland D, Williams G. Genotoxicity Expert Panel review: weight of evidence evaluation of the genotoxicity of glyphosate, glyphosate-based formulations, and aminomethylphosphonic acid. Crit Rev Toxicol 2016; 46:56-74. [DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2016.1214680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Larry Kier
- Private Consultant, Buena Vista, CO, USA
| | | | - Gary Williams
- Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Williams GM, Aardema M, Acquavella J, Berry SC, Brusick D, Burns MM, de Camargo JLV, Garabrant D, Greim HA, Kier LD, Kirkland DJ, Marsh G, Solomon KR, Sorahan T, Roberts A, Weed DL. A review of the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate by four independent expert panels and comparison to the IARC assessment. Crit Rev Toxicol 2016; 46:3-20. [DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2016.1214677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gary M. Williams
- Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
| | | | - John Acquavella
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sir Colin Berry
- Department of Pathology, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - David Garabrant
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, EpidStat Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Helmut A. Greim
- Department of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Gary Marsh
- Department of Biostatistics, Center for Occupational Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Tom Sorahan
- Department of Occupational Epidemiology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ashley Roberts
- Intertek Regulatory & Scientific Consultancy, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Douglas L. Weed
- DLW Consulting Services, LLC, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Paz-Y-Miño C, Guillen Sacoto MJ, Leone PE. Genetics and genomic medicine in Ecuador. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2015; 4:9-17. [PMID: 26788533 PMCID: PMC4707029 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- César Paz-Y-Miño
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Universidad de las Américas Quito Ecuador
| | - María J Guillen Sacoto
- National Human Genome Research Institute National Institutes of Health Bethesda Maryland USA
| | - Paola E Leone
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Universidad de las Américas Quito Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Mesnage R, Defarge N, Spiroux de Vendômois J, Séralini GE. Potential toxic effects of glyphosate and its commercial formulations below regulatory limits. Food Chem Toxicol 2015; 84:133-53. [PMID: 26282372 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2015.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate-based herbicides (GlyBH), including Roundup, are the most widely used pesticides worldwide. Their uses have increased exponentially since their introduction on the market. Residue levels in food or water, as well as human exposures, are escalating. We have reviewed the toxic effects of GlyBH measured below regulatory limits by evaluating the published literature and regulatory reports. We reveal a coherent body of evidence indicating that GlyBH could be toxic below the regulatory lowest observed adverse effect level for chronic toxic effects. It includes teratogenic, tumorigenic and hepatorenal effects. They could be explained by endocrine disruption and oxidative stress, causing metabolic alterations, depending on dose and exposure time. Some effects were detected in the range of the recommended acceptable daily intake. Toxic effects of commercial formulations can also be explained by GlyBH adjuvants, which have their own toxicity, but also enhance glyphosate toxicity. These challenge the assumption of safety of GlyBH at the levels at which they contaminate food and the environment, albeit these levels may fall below regulatory thresholds. Neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and transgenerational effects of GlyBH must be revisited, since a growing body of knowledge suggests the predominance of endocrine disrupting mechanisms caused by environmentally relevant levels of exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Mesnage
- University of Caen, Institute of Biology and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment (MRSH), Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France; CRIIGEN, 81 rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris, France
| | - N Defarge
- University of Caen, Institute of Biology and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment (MRSH), Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France; CRIIGEN, 81 rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris, France
| | | | - G E Séralini
- University of Caen, Institute of Biology and Network on Risks, Quality and Sustainable Environment (MRSH), Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex, France; CRIIGEN, 81 rue de Monceau, 75008 Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kier LD. Review of genotoxicity biomonitoring studies of glyphosate-based formulations. Crit Rev Toxicol 2015; 45:209-18. [PMID: 25687244 PMCID: PMC4819812 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2015.1010194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Human and environmental genotoxicity biomonitoring studies involving exposure to glyphosate-based formulations (GBFs) were reviewed to complement an earlier review of experimental genotoxicity studies of glyphosate and GBFs. The environmental and most of the human biomonitoring studies were not informative because there was either a very low frequency of GBF exposure or exposure to a large number of pesticides without analysis of specific pesticide effects. One pesticide sprayer biomonitoring study indicated there was not a statistically significant relationship between frequency of GBF exposure reported for the last spraying season and oxidative DNA damage. There were three studies of human populations in regions of GBF aerial spraying. One study found increases for the cytokinesis-block micronucleus endpoint but these increases did not show statistically significant associations with self-reported spray exposure and were not consistent with application rates. A second study found increases for the blood cell comet endpoint at high exposures causing toxicity. However, a follow-up to this study 2 years after spraying did not indicate chromosomal effects. The results of the biomonitoring studies do not contradict an earlier conclusion derived from experimental genotoxicity studies that typical GBFs do not appear to present significant genotoxic risk under normal conditions of human or environmental exposures.
Collapse
|
14
|
Paz-y-Miño C, Cumbal N, Sánchez ME. Genotoxicity studies performed in the ecuadorian population. Mol Biol Int 2012; 2012:598984. [PMID: 22496977 PMCID: PMC3306904 DOI: 10.1155/2012/598984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Revised: 11/25/2011] [Accepted: 12/05/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genotoxicity studies in Ecuador have been carried out during the past two decades. The focuses of the research were mainly the area of environmental issues, where the populations have been accidentally exposed to contaminants and the area of occupational exposure of individuals at the workplace. This paper includes studies carried out in the population of the Amazon region, a zone known for its rich biodiversity as well as for the ecological damage caused by oil spills and chemical sprayings whose consequences continue to be controversial. Additionally, we show the results of studies comprised of individuals occupationally exposed to toxic agents in two very different settings: flower plantation workers exposed to pesticide mixtures and X-ray exposure of hospital workers. The results from these studies confirm that genotoxicity studies can help evaluate current conditions and prevent further damage in the populations exposed to contaminants. As such, they are evidence of the need for biomonitoring employers at risk, stricter law enforcement regarding the use of pesticides, and increasingly conscientious oil extraction activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- César Paz-y-Miño
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de las Américas, Ave. de los Granados y Colimes Quito, 1712842, Ecuador
| | - Nadia Cumbal
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de las Américas, Ave. de los Granados y Colimes Quito, 1712842, Ecuador
| | - María Eugenia Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de las Américas, Ave. de los Granados y Colimes Quito, 1712842, Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|