Glyphosate-based herbicide worsens alterations induced by cafeteria diet on rat uterus

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • María Victoria Zanardi - , Institute of Zoology, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • María Paula Gastiazoro - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)
  • María Florencia Rossetti - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)
  • Florencia Doná - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)
  • Gisela Paola Lazzarino - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)
  • Oliver Zierau - , Institute of Zoology, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Jorgelina Varayoud - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)
  • Milena Durando - , Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Author)

Abstract

Exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) and consumption of cafeteria (CAF) diet, which are widespread in Western society, seem to be associated with endometrial hyperplasia (EH). Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of a subchronic low dose of GBH added to the CAF diet on the rat uterus. Female Wistar rats were fed from postnatal day (PND)21 until PND240 with chow (control) or CAF diet. Since PND140, rats also received GBH (2 mg of glyphosate/kg/day) or water through food, yielding four experimental groups: control, CAF, GBH, and CAF+GBH. On PND240, CAF and CAF+GBH animals showed an increased adiposity index. With respect to the control group, no changes in the serum levels of 17β-estradiol and progesterone were found. However, progesterone levels were higher in the CAF+GBH group than in the CAF and GBH groups. In the uterus, both studied factors alone and in combination induced morphological and molecular changes associated with EH. Furthermore, the addition of GBH provoked an increased thickness of subepithelial stroma in rats fed with the CAF diet. As a consequence of GBH exposure, CAF+GBH rats exhibited an increased density of abnormal gland area, considered preneoplastic lesions, as well as a reduced PTEN and p27 expression, both tumor suppressor molecules that inhibit cell proliferation, with respect to control rats. These results indicate that the addition of GBH exacerbates the CAF effects on uterine lesions and that the PTEN/p27 signaling pathway seems to be involved. Further studies focusing on the interaction between unhealthy diets and environmental chemicals should be encouraged to better understand uterine pathologies.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere240071
JournalJournal of Endocrinology
Volume261
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 38579817

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • endometrial hyperplasia, p27, phosphatase and tensin homolog, uterine glands