Evidence for direct effects of glyphosate on ovarian function: glyphosate influences steroidogenesis and proliferation of bovine granulosa but not theca cellsin vitro

Abstract

Glyphosate (GLY) is a common herbicide used worldwide but its effect on ovarian function in mammals is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the potential endocrine disruptor effects of GLY on ovarian function evaluating cell proliferation, steroidogenesis and gene expression using bovine granulosa cells (GC) and theca cells as in vitro models. GC proliferation was impaired (P < 0.05) after exposure to GLY at 0.5, 1.7 and 5 μg ml . GC progesterone production was not affected (P ≥ 0.05) at all doses tested while estradiol production was inhibited (P < 0.05) by GLY at 5 μg ml . At the same concentration GLY showed no effect (P ≥ 0.05) on theca cell proliferation and steroidogenesis. At higher concentrations (0.01 and 0.3 mg ml ), GLY had no significant effect (P ≥ 0.05) on GC proliferation and steroidogenesis. These studies, for the first time, suggest that GLY may affect the reproductive system in cattle via direct action on ovarian function; however, further studies will be required to understand better the mechanism of action and to determine the in vivo reproductive effects of GLY. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide formulation, but not glyphosate alone, has only minor effects on adult rat testis

“…and glyphosate exposure. In granulosa cells of bovine ovaries, however, exposure to glyphosate alone had no effect on either Cyp19a1 or Cyp11a1 [17].…”

“…A limited number of studies have reported disrupted hormone synthesis or signal transduction in various systems and, based on their findings, proposed that glyphosate is an EDC. These include the rat male reproductive organs [10][11][12] and adrenal gland steroidogenesis [13], as well as cell lines such as rodent Leydig cells [14,15], bovine granulosa cells [16,17], and human embryonic, placental and liver cells [18,19]. In many of these studies the tested substance was a commercial formulation of…”

The Effect of Glyphosate on Human Sperm Motility and Sperm DNA Fragmentation

“…Nevertheless, various glyphosate formulations seem to have adverse effects on hormonal function, and it has been demonstrated that glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, have an impact on oxygen reactive species, and it also changes the redox system, resulting therefore in apoptosis [ 10 , 11 ]. Last, Roundup has been demonstrated to have deleterious effect on steroidogenesis and proliferation of bovine granulosa cells [ 12 ], indicating indirectly the impact of glyphosate on female gametes [ 13 ].…”

Identificación de malformaciones congénitas asociadas a plaguicidas disruptores endocrinos en estados brasileños productores de granos

“…En lo que se refiere al glifosato, algunos estudios con ratas y células bovinas presentan evidencias de su toxicidad en relación con el sistema reproductivo (42)(43)(44). El estudio transversal de Garry et al (45) demostró mayor frecuencia de defectos congénitos en niños residentes del Valle del Río Rojo, Minnesota, una región de gran actividad agrícola de Estados Unidos.…”