Estudo da exposição materna à formulação comercial contendo glifosato sobre a função vascular de ratos machos adultos

Abstract

The deliberate consumption of pesticides has worrying consequences for the environment and human health. A potential correlation between maternal exposure to glyphosate during the perinatal and postnatal phase and short-term and long-term adverse effects was investigated. This study analyzed how exposure to glyphosate during pregnancy affects the vascular function of the offspring, observing the influence of age and oxidative stress. Pregnant female Wistar rats were exposed to a solution containing a commercial formulation of glyphosate by gavage. Vascular reactivity, blood pressure and histological analyzes were performed on their male pups at 6 and 12 months of age (O-GHB). The control group (O-COM) received an equal volume of saline solution. The O-GHB groups did not present alterations in blood pressure and in the histological analysis of the aorta in relation to the control group. There was impairment in endothelium-dependent relaxation and a significant increase in phenylephrine-induced contraction in the presence of L-NAME in O-GHB animals. This relaxation improved in O-GHB rats with the presence of TEMPOL at both ages and indomethacin caused an increase in the amplitude of relaxation. This suggests that maternal exposure to glyphosate results in oxidative stress and increased synthesis of vasoconstrictor factors. The results reinforce that oxidative stress during the perinatal and postnatal period contributes to the development of vascular alterations in offspring in adulthood and reveal that current levels considered safe for exposure to glyphosate deserve further investigation, especially during pregnancy.