Behavioral and neuroinflammatory changes caused by glyphosate: Base herbicide in mice offspring

Abstract

Background: Glyphosate is a pesticide considered of low toxicity, but scientific evidences show it can be harmful to health. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity in mice offspring exposed to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) during the intrauterine period. Methods: Female matrices received glyphosate 0.3 mg/kg daily per oral throughout the gestational period, which was variable between 18 and 22 days.From the 25th until the 28th days post-birth, mice offspring were subjected to behavioral tests, and the prefrontal cortex was processed for immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Two significant behavioral changes were observed: anxiety in the GLIF0.3 group, increase in the behavior burying marbles in the marbleburying test and hyperactivity, expressed by the significant increase of the crossing number in the open field test. The increased microglia, TNF-alpha, and astrocyte expression were also observed in the prefrontal cortex of offspring treated with GLIF0.3. Conclusion:Exposure to GBH during mice intrauterine development induces hyperactive and anxious behavior, evidencing neuroinflammation.

The Herbicide Glyphosate and Its Formulations Impact Animal Behavior across Taxa

“…Del Castilo et al [193] found that both male and female 3-month-old mice exposed to GBH since pregnancy exhibit more repetitive marble burying, a behavior used to assess stereotyped behavior in mouse models of autism. Other studies also support these findings [183,194], reporting an increase in repetitive/stereotyped behavior in rodents exposed to GBH during gestation and throughout the lifespan [193]. In addition, in a novel object recognition test, mice demonstrated cognitive deficits after maternal glyphosate exposure, suggesting ASD-like cognitive impairment [208].…”

“…In a three-chamber sociability test, GBH-treated mice spent less time and made less visits to another conspecific and spent more time with an inanimate object, indicating adverse effects on adult mice social skills [106]. While many studies have reported negative effects of GBH on social behavior, a few studies [161,194] did not identify such effects.…”

“…Rodents' spatial memory was also impaired, including rats tested in the water maze test mentioned above [192] (but not [193]). In addition, chronic GBH exposure reduces short term spatial memory in a y-maze among young mice exposed through maternal dosing, prenatally, and through lactation [106] (but not those exposed only during gestation [194]) and chronically exposed adult mice [195].…”

“…Exposure to GBH during critical development stages of the brain may have important effects on emotional behavior later in life. De Castro Vieira Carneiro et al [194] reported that mice between postnatal day (PND) 25-28 that were exposed to 0.3 mg/kg/day of GBH during gestation crossed lines more frequently in OF tests, suggesting hyperactivity, and exhibited increased marble burying behavior which may be indicative of anxiety. In another study, rats were exposed to either 0.65 or 1.3 g/L of GBH during gestation and lactation.…”

Maternal pre-conceptional glyphosate exposure impacts the offspring hepatic and ovarian proteome

“…Maternal exposure to GLY or GBH has reported impacts on cardiac parameters ( de Marins et al , 2023 ), anxiety and hyperactivity ( de Castro Vieira Carneiro et al , 2023 ), immune responsivity ( Buchenauer et al , 2022 ), hepatic function ( Rieg et al , 2022 ; Teleken et al , 2020 ), and muscle structure ( Barbosa et al , 2022 ) in offspring and although the species and route of exposure differ, the potential for maternal exposure to impair offspring viability is supported. This study investigated a maternal pre-conceptional exposure to GLY at a dose not previously determined to be of concern for development and reproduction ( Ganesan and Keating, 2020 ; Ganesan et al , 2020 ; USEPA, 1993 ).…”