Reprotoxic effects of fenpropimorph on the fertilizing potential of AI boars: A case study

This case study describes the effects of a contamination of boar bedding material with reprotoxic compounds in an AI centre in southern Germany. The origin of the investigations was an extreme decline in the production output of the boars. In July 2021, more than 54% of boars were not in production and over 45% of ejaculates had insufficient sperm quality and quantity, which is a significant drop in comparison with the other months. This drop was accompanied by oligozoospermia (azoospermia), asthenozoospermia and teratozoospermia. Through intensive troubleshooting, the changes could be attributed to fenpropimorph, an ergosterol biosynthesis-inhibiting fungicide with reprotoxic potential, which was found in the sawdust used as bedding as well as in liver samples of affected animals, reaching a concentration (mean ± SD) between 0.20 ± 0.36 mg/kg and 0.019 ± 0.001 mg/kg respectively. Furthermore, autopsy findings revealed hyperaemia of the testis, histologically focal degeneration of the germinal epithelium and signs of reduced spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis.

Simultaneous Analysis of Fenpropimorph and Fenpropimorph Acid in Six Different Livestock Products Using a Single-Sample Preparation Method Followed by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Pesticides in livestock products must be measured to ensure food safety. We developed a single-sample preparation method followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for simultaneous determination of fenpropimorph and fenpropimorph acid in six different livestock products. The extraction method was a modification of the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method and was validated according to the CODEX guidelines. The matrix-matched calibration curves for fenpropimorph and fenpropimorph acid exhibited good linearity, with coefficients of determination (R2 values) higher than 0.998. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 1.25 and 5.0 µg kg-1, respectively. The average recovery values ranged from 61.5% to 97.1% for samples fortified to the LOQ, 2 × LOQ, and 10 × LOQ. The method fully complied with the CODEX guidelines and was successfully applied to real samples obtained from domestic markets.

Stereoselective Metabolism of the Sterol Biosynthesis Inhibitor Fungicides Fenpropidin, Fenpropimorph, and Spiroxamine in Grapes, Sugar Beets, and Wheat

Metabolism of chiral pesticides in crops is typically studied using achiral analytical methods and, consequently, the stereoisomer composition of residues is unknown. In this study, we developed an enantioselective GC-MS/MS method to quantify residues of the fungicides fenpropidin, fenpropimorph, and spiroxamine in plant matrices. In field trials, the fungicides were applied to grapevines, sugar beets, or wheat. Fenpropidin was metabolized with no or only weak enantioselectivity. For fenpropimorph, slightly enantioselective metabolism was observed in wheat but more pronounced in sugar beets. This enantioselectivity was due to different rates of metabolism and not due to interconversion of enantiomers. The four stereoisomers of spiroxamine were also metabolized at different rates, but selectivity was only found between diastereomers and not between enantiomers. trans-Spiroxamine was preferentially degraded in grapes and cis-spiroxamine in wheat. These findings may affect the consumer dietary risk assessment because toxicological end points were determined using racemic test substances.

Synthesis and characterization of N,N-dialkyl and N-alkyl-N-aralkyl fenpropimorph-derived compounds as high affinity ligands for sigma receptors

The sigma-1 receptor is a unique non-opioid, non-PCP binding site that has been implicated in many different pathophysiological conditions including psychosis, drug addiction, retinal degeneration and cancer. Based on the structure of fenpropimorph, a high affinity (K(i)=0.005 nM)(1) sigma-1 receptor ligand and strong inhibitor of the yeast sterol isomerase (ERG2), we previously deduced a basic sigma-1 receptor pharmacophore or chemical backbone composed of a phenyl ring attached to a di-substituted nitrogen atom via an alkyl chain.(2) Here, we report the design and synthesis of various N,N-dialkyl or N-alkyl-N-aralkyl derivatives based on this pharmacophore as well as their binding affinities to the sigma-1 receptor. We introduce three high affinity sigma-1 receptor compounds, N,N-dibutyl-3-(4-fluorophenyl)propylamine (9), N,N-dibutyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)propylamine (3), and N-propyl-N'-4-aminophenylethyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)propylamine (20) with K(i) values of 17.7 nM, 0.36 nM, and 6 nM, respectively. In addition to sigma receptor affinity, we show through cytotoxicity assays that growth inhibition of various tumor cell lines occurs with our high affinity N,N-dialkyl or N-alkyl-N-aralkyl derivatives.

High affinity of sigma 1-binding sites for sterol isomerization inhibitors: evidence for a pharmacological relationship with the yeast sterol C8-C7 isomerase

1. The sigma-drug binding site of guinea-pig liver is carried by a protein which shares significant amino acid sequence similarities with the yeast sterol C8-C7 isomerase (ERG2 protein). Pharmacologically-but not structurally-the sigma 1-site is also related to the emopamil binding protein, the mammalian sterol C8-C7 isomerase. We therefore investigated if sterol C8-C7 isomerase inhibitors are high affinity ligands for the (+)-[3H]-pentazocine labelled sigma 1-binding site. 2. Among the compounds which bound with high affinity to native hepatic and cerebral as well as to yeast expressed sigma 1-binding sites were the agricultural fungicide fenpropimorph (Ki 0.005 nM), the antihypocholesterinaemic drugs triparanol (Ki 7.0 nM), AY-9944 (Ki, 0.46 nM) and MDL28,815 (Ki 0.16 nM), the enantiomers of the ovulation inducer clomiphene (Ki 5.5 and 12 nM, respectively) and the antioestrogene tamoxifen (Ki 26 nM). 3. Except for tamoxifen these affinities are essentially identical with those for the [3H]-ifenprodil labelled sterol C8-C7 isomerase of S. cerevisiae. This demonstrates that sigma 1-binding protein and yeast isomerase are not only structurally but also pharmacologically related. Because of its affiliations with yeast and mammalian sterol isomerases we propose that the sigma 1-binding site is localized on a sterol isomerase related protein, involved in postsqualene sterol biosynthesis.