Direct Effects of Glyphosate on In Vitro T Helper Cell Differentiation and Cytokine Production

The impact of surgical intervention on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cell activity in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS)

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the impact of surgical intervention on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cell activity in pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).

METHODS

A total of 36 OSAHS children, 32 children with tonsillar hypertrophy, and 30 healthy children were enrolled. Clinical data and polysomnography (PSG) results were collected. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for T lymphocyte subsets, NK cells, and cytokine levels including Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α), Th2 (IL-4, IL-10), and Th17 (IL-17).

RESULTS

At baseline, OSAHS children exhibited lower LSaO2 levels and higher AHI values compared to healthy children. They also showed decreased percentages of CD3 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, NK cells, and elevated CD8 + T cells and CD4+/CD8 + ratio. Levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-17 were significantly lower in OSAHS children. Post-surgery improvements were observed in LSaO2, AHI, and immune markers at 3 months and 6 months. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed significant associations between LSaO2, AHI, and peripheral blood immune parameters at baseline and 6 months post-surgery.

CONCLUSION

Surgical intervention in pediatric OSAHS influences peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and NK cell activity. Early intervention and monitoring of immune function are crucial for the recovery and healthy development of affected children.

Glyphosate: Impact on the microbiota-gut-brain axis and the immune-nervous system, and clinical cases of multiorgan toxicity

Glyphosate (GLP) and GLP-based herbicides (GBHs), such as polyethoxylated tallow amine-based GLP surfactants (GLP-SH), developed in the late 70', have become the most popular and controversial agrochemicals ever produced. Nowadays, GBHs have reached 350 million hectares of crops in over 140 countries, with an annual turnover of 5 billion and 11 billion USD in the U.S.A. and worldwide, respectively. Because of the highly efficient inhibitory activity of GLP targeted to the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase pathway, present in plants and several bacterial strains, the GLP-resistant crop-based genetic agricultural revolution has decreased famine and improved the costs and quality of living in developing countries. However, this progress has come at the cost of the 50-year GBH overuse, leading to environmental pollution, animal intoxication, bacterial resistance, and sustained occupational exposure of the herbicide farm and companies' workers. According to preclinical and clinical studies covered in the present review, poisoning with GLP, GLP-SH, and GBHs devastatingly affects gut microbiota and the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis, leading to dysbiosis and gastrointestinal (GI) ailments, as well as immunosuppression and inappropriate immunostimulation, cholinergic neurotransmission dysregulation, neuroendocrinal system disarray, and neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral alterations. Herein, we mainly focus on the contribution of gut microbiota (GM) to neurological impairments, e.g., stroke and neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. The current review provides a comprehensive introduction to GLP's microbiological and neurochemical activities, including deviation of the intestinal Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, excitotoxicity, and mind-altering processes. Besides, it summarizes and critically discusses recent preclinical studies and clinical case reports concerning the harmful impacts of GBHs on the GI tract, MGB axis, and nervous system. Finally, an insightful comparison of toxic effects caused by GLP, GBH-SH, and GBHs is presented. To this end, we propose a first-to-date survey of clinical case reports on intoxications with these herbicides.

Impact of chemical mixtures from wastewater treatment plant effluents on human immune cell activation: An effect-based analysis

BACKGROUND

Humans are exposed to many different chemicals on a daily basis, mostly as chemical mixtures, usually from food, consumer products and the environment. Wastewater treatment plant effluent contains mixtures of chemicals that have been discarded or excreted by humans and not removed by water treatment. These effluents contribute directly to water pollution, they are used in agriculture and may affect human health. The possible effect of such chemical mixtures on the immune system has not been characterized.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extracts obtained from four European wastewater treatment plant effluents on human primary immune cell activation.

METHODS

Immune cells were exposed to the effluent extracts and modulation of cell activation was performed by multi-parameter flow cytometry. Messenger-RNA (mRNA) expression of genes related to immune system and hormone receptors was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

The exposure of immune cells to these extracts, containing 339 detected chemicals, significantly reduced the activation of human lymphocytes, mainly affecting T helper and mucosal-associated invariant T cells. In addition, basophil activation was also altered upon mixture exposure. Concerning mRNA expression, we observed that 12 transcripts were down-regulated by at least one extract while 11 were up-regulated. Correlation analyses between the analyzed immune parameters and the concentration of chemicals in the WWTP extracts, highlighted the most immunomodulatory chemicals.

DISCUSSION

Our results suggest that the mixture of chemicals present in the effluents of wastewater treatment plants could be considered as immunosuppressive, due to their ability to interfere with the activation of immune cells, a process of utmost importance for the functionality of the immune system. The combined approach of immune effect-based analysis and chemical content analysis used in our study provides a useful tool for investigating the effect of environmental mixtures on the human immune response.

In Vitro Effects of Cypermethrin and Glyphosate on LPS-Induced Immune Cell Activation

(1) Background: The insecticide cypermethrin (Cypm) and the herbicide glyphosate (Glyp) are among the most widely used pesticides. While the two pesticides have been considered to have low toxicity in mammals, some indication of potential immunotoxicity has emerged. The aim of this work was to investigate in vitro the effects of Cypm and Glyp on bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced immune cell activation and of Cypm on 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT)-induced maturation of dendritic cells (DCs). (2) Methods: The release of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-8, the expression of the surface markers CD54 and CD86 in human primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and THP-1 cells were investigated together with CD83, HLA-DR, IL-6, and IL-18 in DCs. (3) Results: While no significant modulation on LPS-induced immune cell activation was observed following Glyp exposure, with only a trend toward an increase at the highest concentration tested, Cypm reduced the responses to LPS and to MBT, supporting a direct immunosuppressive effect. Overall, the present study contributes to our understanding of pesticide-induced immunotoxicity, and the results obtained support evidence showing the immunosuppressive effects of Cypm.

Occupational exposure to pesticides dysregulates systemic Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines and correlates with poor clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients

Pesticides are compounds known to cause immunetoxicity in exposed individuals, which have a potential to substantially modify the prognosis of pathologies dependent on an efficient immune response, such as breast cancer. In this context, we examined the circulating cytokine profile of Th1/Th2/Th17 patterns in women occupationally exposed to pesticides and their correlation with worse prognostic outcomes. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 187 rural working women with breast cancer, occupationally exposed or not to pesticides, to quantify the levels of cytokines IL-1β, IL-12, IL-4, IL-17-A, and TNF -α. Data on the disease profile and clinical outcomes were collected through medical follow-up. IL-12 was reduced in exposed women with tumors larger than 2 cm and in those with lymph node metastases. Significantly reduced levels of IL-17A were observed in exposed patients with Luminal B subtype tumors, with high ki67 proliferation rates, high histological grade, and positive for the progesterone receptor. Reduced IL-4 was also seen in exposed women with lymph node invasion. Our data show that occupational exposure to pesticides induces significant changes in the levels of cytokines necessary for tumor control and correlates with poor prognosis clinical outcomes in breast cancer.

Tannin alleviates glyphosate exposure-induced apoptosis, necrosis and immune dysfunction in hepatic L8824 cell line by inhibiting ROS/PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway

Glyphosate can cause tissue damage such as liver and kidney in mammals. Tannin has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of glyphosate on the growth of L8824 cell line and the effect of tannin on antagonism of glyphosate through the ROS/PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis are unclear. In this study, L8824 cells were treated with glyphosate (50 μg/mL) and/or tannin (4.5 μM) for 24 h to establish a model. The results showed that glyphosate exposure increased ROS and MDA levels, decreased CAT and SOD activities. PTEN was activated and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was inhibited. The P53/Bcl-2/Bax/CytC/Caspase3 and RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathways were also activated. In addition, the cytokines and antimicrobial peptides LEAP-2, TNF-α and IL-1β were increased while β-defensin, Hepcidin, IL-2 and IFN-γ were decreased. The use of tannin reduced the adverse effects of glyphosate exposure on L8824 cells significantly. In conclusion, tannin can trigger oxidative stress via PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway to cause apoptosis, necroptosis and immune dysfunction of L8824 cells.

Effect of zinc supplementation on immunotoxicity induced by subchronic oral exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide (GOBARA®) in Wistar rats

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of zinc supplementation on immunotoxicity induced by subchronic oral exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH).

METHODS

Sixty adult male Wistar rats randomly divided equally into six groups were exposed to GBH by gavage daily for 16 weeks with or without zinc pretreatment. Group DW rats received distilled water (2 mL/kg), group Z rats received zinc (50 mg/kg), and group G1 and G2 rats received 187.5 and 375 mg/kg GBH, respectively. Group ZG1 and ZG2 rats were pretreated with 50 mg/kg zinc before exposure to 187.5 and 375 mg/kg GBH, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM, IgE) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spleen, submandibular lymph node, and thymus samples were processed for histopathology.

RESULTS

Exposure to GBH (G1 and G2) significantly increased serum TNF-α concentrations and significantly decreased serum IgG and IgM concentrations compared with the control levels. Moderate-to-severe lymphocyte depletion occurred in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus in the GBH-exposed groups. Zinc supplementation mitigated the immunotoxic effects of GBH exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

GBH exposure increased pro-inflammatory cytokine responses, decreased immunoglobulin production, and depleted lymphocytes in lymphoid organs in rats, but zinc supplementation mitigated this immunotoxicity.

Occupational Exposure to Pesticides Affects Pivotal Immunologic Anti-Tumor Responses in Breast Cancer Women from the Intermediate Risk of Recurrence and Death

Simple Summary

This study presents information regarding the immunological changes induced by pesticide exposure in patients diagnosed with breast cancer occupationally exposed to pesticides. Such changes are helpful to understand tumor behavior under pesticide exposure and can be beneficial to re-stratify breast cancer patients occupationally exposed concerning their risk of disease recurrence and death.

Abstract

Breast cancer risk stratification is a strategy based using on clinical parameters to predict patients’ risk of recurrence or death, categorized as low, intermediate, or high risk. Both low and high risk are based on well-defined clinical parameters. However, the intermediate risk depends on more malleable parameters. It means an increased possibility for either suboptimal treatment, leading to disease recurrence, or systemic damage due to drug overload toxicity. Therefore, identifying new factors that help to characterize better the intermediate-risk stratification, such as environmental exposures, is necessary. For this purpose, we evaluated the impact of occupational exposure to pesticides on the systemic profile of cytokines (IL-12, IL-4, IL-17A, and TNF-α) and oxidative stress (hydroperoxides, total antioxidants, and nitric oxide metabolites), as well as TGF-β1, CTLA-4, CD8, and CD4 expression, investigated in tumor cells. Occupational exposure to pesticides decreased the levels of IL-12 and significantly increased the expression of TGF-β1 and CTLA-4 in the immune infiltrate. Nevertheless, we observed a decrease in CTLA-4 in tumor samples and CD8 in infiltrating cells of intermediate overweight or obese patients with at least one metastatic lymph node at the diagnosis. These findings indicate that occupational exposure to pesticides changes the molecular behavior of disease and should be considered for intermediate-risk stratification assessment in breast cancer patients.