Disorders of neurobehavioral development have been dramatically increased worldwide during the past decades and recent data highlighted that more than 10-15% of new-borns are affected by them with a prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder and other cognitive impairments. An increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders have been linked to prenatal exposure to Organophosphates pesticides (OPs), which are widely used on food crops grown in the EU. While they have been banned from indoor use, they are still the most prevalent pesticides in the EU, with Chlorpyrifos (CP) being the most commonly applied. Cohort studies provided new evidence that prenatal exposure to OPs can cause developmental neurotoxicity. In fact, younger individuals may be more susceptible than adults due to biological factors and exposure settings. In particular, maternal exposure to CP was found to be dose-related to slower brain growth and associated to several structural abnormalities such as thinning of cerebral cortex. It has been demonstrated that sub-lethal doses of neurotoxic pesticides affect behaviour by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE). While the cognitive short-term effects may be directly attributed to this inhibition, the mechanisms that underlie OP's long-term cognitive effects remain controversial and poorly understood. To elucidate through what mechanism CP induces alterations in neurogenesis, we used Xenopus laevis, an aquatic organism whose development occurs outside the mother’s body and that allowing monitoring anlagen morphogenesis in detail. We investigated CP effects on embryonic survival, histological alterations and the occurance of gross anatomical abnormalities. Briefly, Xenopus embryos, (stage 4/8) were bred in presence of a wide range of CP concentrations (0.01 mg/L- 25 mg/L). Preliminary results seem to indicate that CP can induce alterations possibly correlated to incorrect migration of neural crest cells. We also evaluated the expression profiles of several genes involved in neural development such as rax1, pax6 and fgf8.
Chlorpyrifos effects on Xenopus laevis embryo development / Raffaele, Ronca; Margherita, Tussellino; Maria Michela, Pallotta; Salvatore, Petrillo; Carotenuto, Rosa; Capriglione, Teresa. - (2014). (Intervento presentato al convegno 60° GEI tenutosi a Trento nel 15-18 giugno 2014).
Chlorpyrifos effects on Xenopus laevis embryo development
CAROTENUTO, ROSA;CAPRIGLIONE, TERESA
2014
Abstract
Disorders of neurobehavioral development have been dramatically increased worldwide during the past decades and recent data highlighted that more than 10-15% of new-borns are affected by them with a prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder and other cognitive impairments. An increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders have been linked to prenatal exposure to Organophosphates pesticides (OPs), which are widely used on food crops grown in the EU. While they have been banned from indoor use, they are still the most prevalent pesticides in the EU, with Chlorpyrifos (CP) being the most commonly applied. Cohort studies provided new evidence that prenatal exposure to OPs can cause developmental neurotoxicity. In fact, younger individuals may be more susceptible than adults due to biological factors and exposure settings. In particular, maternal exposure to CP was found to be dose-related to slower brain growth and associated to several structural abnormalities such as thinning of cerebral cortex. It has been demonstrated that sub-lethal doses of neurotoxic pesticides affect behaviour by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE). While the cognitive short-term effects may be directly attributed to this inhibition, the mechanisms that underlie OP's long-term cognitive effects remain controversial and poorly understood. To elucidate through what mechanism CP induces alterations in neurogenesis, we used Xenopus laevis, an aquatic organism whose development occurs outside the mother’s body and that allowing monitoring anlagen morphogenesis in detail. We investigated CP effects on embryonic survival, histological alterations and the occurance of gross anatomical abnormalities. Briefly, Xenopus embryos, (stage 4/8) were bred in presence of a wide range of CP concentrations (0.01 mg/L- 25 mg/L). Preliminary results seem to indicate that CP can induce alterations possibly correlated to incorrect migration of neural crest cells. We also evaluated the expression profiles of several genes involved in neural development such as rax1, pax6 and fgf8.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
