Exposure to atrazine alters behaviour and disrupts the dopaminergic system in Drosophila melanogaster.

Atrazine is an extensively used herbicide, and has become a common environmental contaminant. Effects on dopaminergic neurotransmission in mammals following exposure to atrazine have been previously demonstrated. Here, the effects of atrazine regarding behavioural and dopaminergic neurotransmission parameters were assessed in the fruit fly D. melanogaster, exposed during embryonic and larval development. Embryos (newly fertilized eggs) were exposed to two atrazine concentrations (10µM and 100µM) in the diet until the adult fly emerged. Negative geotaxis assay, as well as exploratory behaviour, immobility time and number of grooming episodes in an open field system were assessed. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity and gene expression of the dopaminergic system were also evaluated in newly emerged male and female flies. All analyzed parameters in male flies were not significantly affected by atrazine exposure. However female flies exposed to atrazine at 10µM presented an increase in immobility time and a reduction in exploratory activity in the open field test, which was offset by an increase in the number of grooming episodes. Also, female flies exposed to 100µM of atrazine presented an increase in immobility time. Gene expression of DOPA decarboxylase and dopamine (DA) receptors were also increased only in females. The behavioural effects of atrazine exposure observed in female flies were due to a disturbance in the dopaminergic system.

Glyphosate-based herbicide exposure causes antioxidant defence responses in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Glyphosate is a non-selective and post-emergent herbicide that affects plant growth. Animal exposure to this herbicide can lead to adverse effects, such as endocrine disruption, oxidative stress and behavioural disorders. Drosophilids have been utilized previously as an effective tool in toxicological tests. In the present study, the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup [Original]) were investigated regarding oxidative stress, the antioxidant defence system and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in Drosophila melanogaster. Flies (of both genders) that were 1 to 3days old were exposed to different glyphosate concentrations (0.0g/L=control, 1.0g/L, 2.0g/L, 5.0g/L and 10.0g/L) [corrected] in the diet for 24h and 96h. After the exposure periods, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were quantified. In addition, the mRNA expression of antioxidant genes (i.e., keap1, sod, sod2, cat, irc, gclc, gclm, gss, trxt, trxr-1 and trxr-2) was evaluated via RT-PCR. Additionally, AChE activity was evaluated only after the 96h exposure period. The results indicated that Roundup exposure leads to a reduction in ROS levels in flies exposed for 96h. ACAP levels and gene expression of the antioxidant defence system exhibited an increase from 24h, while LPO did not show any significant alterations in both exposure periods. AChE activity was not affected following Roundup exposure. Our data suggest that Roundup exposure causes an early activation of the antioxidant defence system in D. melanogaster, and this can prevent subsequent damage caused by ROS.