{"title":"Effects of herbicide mixtures on the fertilizing capacity of bovine sperm","authors":"Diogo Ferreira Bicca , Rafaela Dalmolin Menezes , Laura Rohde Brondani , Monike Quirino , Larissa Thaísa Weide , Fábio Gallas Leivas , Daniela dos Santos Brum , Francielli Weber Santos Cibin","doi":"10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.109037","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herbicides are the most commonly used pesticide type worldwide. In Brazil, glyphosate-, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-, and atrazine-based pesticide formulations are intensively applied to crops, and mixtures of these compounds occur frequently in the environment. Owing to their proximity to these areas and management practices, bovines are exposed to these pesticide mixtures, and their impact on their health is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the <em>in vitro</em> effects of herbicide mixtures on bovine sperm. Semen from four bulls was prepared as a pool and divided into groups: control, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glyphosate (Gly; 50 µg/mL), 2,4-D (0.11 µg/mL), atrazine (Atz; 0.0107 µg/mL), Gly + 2,4-D (GD), Gly + Atz (GA), Atz+ 2,4-D (AD) and Gly + 2,4-D + Atz (GDA). Sperm cells were evaluated after 3 h of incubation with the different treatments at 37℃. Results showed that the Gly, 2,4-D, and AD groups decreased progressive motility, mean path velocity, and beat cross frequency compared to the control group. Similarly, Gly and 2,4-D reduced curvilinear and straight-line velocities, and 2,4-D affected the amplitude of lateral head displacement. Although no differences in reactive species levels were detected, an overall reduction in antioxidant capacity was observed. Membrane integrity, acrosome damage, and mitochondrial membrane potential results did not differ significantly among the groups. However, the mixture diminished sperm fertilization capacity in groups GD, AD, and GDA, when compared to the control. No effects appeared in the DMSO group. Herbicides showed distinct impacts on bovine sperm, emphasizing the importance of evaluating pesticide mixtures thoroughly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21137,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive toxicology","volume":"137 ","pages":"Article 109037"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Reproductive toxicology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623825002084","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Herbicides are the most commonly used pesticide type worldwide. In Brazil, glyphosate-, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-, and atrazine-based pesticide formulations are intensively applied to crops, and mixtures of these compounds occur frequently in the environment. Owing to their proximity to these areas and management practices, bovines are exposed to these pesticide mixtures, and their impact on their health is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro effects of herbicide mixtures on bovine sperm. Semen from four bulls was prepared as a pool and divided into groups: control, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glyphosate (Gly; 50 µg/mL), 2,4-D (0.11 µg/mL), atrazine (Atz; 0.0107 µg/mL), Gly + 2,4-D (GD), Gly + Atz (GA), Atz+ 2,4-D (AD) and Gly + 2,4-D + Atz (GDA). Sperm cells were evaluated after 3 h of incubation with the different treatments at 37℃. Results showed that the Gly, 2,4-D, and AD groups decreased progressive motility, mean path velocity, and beat cross frequency compared to the control group. Similarly, Gly and 2,4-D reduced curvilinear and straight-line velocities, and 2,4-D affected the amplitude of lateral head displacement. Although no differences in reactive species levels were detected, an overall reduction in antioxidant capacity was observed. Membrane integrity, acrosome damage, and mitochondrial membrane potential results did not differ significantly among the groups. However, the mixture diminished sperm fertilization capacity in groups GD, AD, and GDA, when compared to the control. No effects appeared in the DMSO group. Herbicides showed distinct impacts on bovine sperm, emphasizing the importance of evaluating pesticide mixtures thoroughly.
期刊介绍:
Drawing from a large number of disciplines, Reproductive Toxicology publishes timely, original research on the influence of chemical and physical agents on reproduction. Written by and for obstetricians, pediatricians, embryologists, teratologists, geneticists, toxicologists, andrologists, and others interested in detecting potential reproductive hazards, the journal is a forum for communication among researchers and practitioners. Articles focus on the application of in vitro, animal and clinical research to the practice of clinical medicine.
All aspects of reproduction are within the scope of Reproductive Toxicology, including the formation and maturation of male and female gametes, sexual function, the events surrounding the fusion of gametes and the development of the fertilized ovum, nourishment and transport of the conceptus within the genital tract, implantation, embryogenesis, intrauterine growth, placentation and placental function, parturition, lactation and neonatal survival. Adverse reproductive effects in males will be considered as significant as adverse effects occurring in females. To provide a balanced presentation of approaches, equal emphasis will be given to clinical and animal or in vitro work. Typical end points that will be studied by contributors include infertility, sexual dysfunction, spontaneous abortion, malformations, abnormal histogenesis, stillbirth, intrauterine growth retardation, prematurity, behavioral abnormalities, and perinatal mortality.