GLYPHOSATE IMPAIRS STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTION- AL ORGANIZATION OF OVARIAN FOLLICLES IN THE LIZARD PODARCIS SICULUS

selective herbicide for weed control. Gly blocks the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants: as this pathway is absent in ani- mals, Gly was considered safe for animals. Over the years, how- ever, evidence has accumulated on the toxic effect of Gly in ani- mals as well. Our recent studies aimed to evaluate the Gly effects on the lizard Podarcis siculus. This lizard is a good bioindicator in ecotoxicology, because it can be contaminated in its natural habitat by pesticides, which modify its health and give rise to measurable biological responses.1 We previously proved that Gly exposure affected the morpho-physiology of both liver and testis of P. sicu- lus. In the liver, Gly induced severe fibrosis, activation of the antioxidant defence machinery and xenoestrogenic effects;2 in the testis, Gly altered testicular morphology, affected spermatogene- sis, and changed the localization of estrogen receptors.3 In the research presented here, we focused our attention on the toxic effect of Gly on the lizard ovary. To this end, we studied the struc- tural and functional organization of ovarian follicles after oral exposure to 0.05 and 0.5 μg/kg of Gly for 3 weeks. By cytological analyses, we determined the effects on the number and conditions of germ cells and follicles; by immunocytochemistry we detected alterations in PCNA expression, indicative of alterations in prolif- eration rate; in E-cadherin localization, indicative of a loss of con- tact between follicle cells; in estradiol a and b receptors, indicative of an interference with the endocrine axis. The results demonstrate that Gly, at both doses tested, profoundly interferes with ovarian function. It induces germ cells recruitment and alters follicular anatomy by anticipating pyriform cells apoptotic regression. It also induces thecal fibrosis and affects oocyte cytoplasm and zona pellucida organizations. Functionally, Gly stimulates the synthesis of estrogen receptors, suggesting a serious endocrine disrupting effect.