ABSTRACT
The physiological and molecular responses of leukocytes are altered by organophosphate pesticides. Some reports have shown that diazinon causes immunotoxic effects; diazoxon, the oxon metabolite of diazinon, is attributed to influence the immune response by affecting the leukocyte cholinergic system. In this study, the in vitro effects of diazoxon on molecules involved in cell signaling (cAMP, IP3, DAG, JAK1, and STAT3), which play a crucial role in the activation, differentiation, and survival of leukocytes, were evaluated. Data indicate that diazoxon leads to a decrease in cAMP concentration and an increase in basal IP3 levels. However, diazoxon does not affect basal levels of JAK1 and STAT3 phosphorylation. Instead, diazoxon inhibits leukocyte responsiveness to phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, substances that, under normal conditions, enhance JAK/STAT signaling. These findings demonstrate that diazoxon significantly affects key molecular parameters related to cell signaling.
Subject(s)
Leukocytes , Second Messenger Systems , Signal Transduction , Animals , Leukocytes/drug effects , Leukocytes/metabolism , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Second Messenger Systems/drug effects , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism , Cyclic AMP/metabolism , Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate/pharmacology , Janus Kinase 1/metabolism , Phosphorylation/drug effects , Ionomycin/pharmacology , Insecticides/toxicity , Insecticides/pharmacology , Organophosphorus CompoundsABSTRACT
Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) have greatly facilitated food production worldwide, and their use is not limited to agriculture and the control of pests and disease vectors. However, these substances can directly affect the immune response of non-target organisms. In this sense, exposure to OPs can have negative effects on innate and adaptive immunity, promoting deregulation in humoral and cellular processes such as phagocytosis, cytokine expression, antibody production, cell proliferation, and differentiation, which are crucial mechanisms for host defense against external agents. This review focuses on the scientific evidence of exposure to OPs and their toxic effects on the immune system of non-target organisms (invertebrates and vertebrates) from a descriptive perspective of the immuno-toxic mechanisms associated with susceptibility to the development of bacterial, viral, and fungal infectious diseases. During the exhaustive review, we found that there is an important gap in the study of non-target organisms, examples of which are echinoderms and chondrichthyans. It is therefore important to increase the number of studies on other species directly or indirectly affected by Ops, to assess the degree of impact at the individual level and how this affects higher levels, such as populations and ecosystems.
Subject(s)
Insecticides , Pesticides , Animals , Ecosystem , Invertebrates , Vertebrates , Organophosphorus Compounds , Immunity , Organophosphates , Pesticides/toxicityABSTRACT
Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widespread insecticides used for pest control in agricultural activities and the control of the vectors of human and animal diseases. However, OPs' neurotoxic mechanism involves cholinergic components, which, beyond being involved in the transmission of neuronal signals, also influence the activity of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules; thus, acute and chronic exposure to OPs may be related to the development of chronic degenerative pathologies and other inflammatory diseases. The present article reviews and discusses the experimental evidence linking inflammatory process with OP-induced cholinergic dysregulation, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms related to the role of cytokines and cellular alterations in humans and other animal models, and possible therapeutic targets to inhibit inflammation.
