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Dichlorvos poisoning caused chicken cerebrum tissue damage and related apoptosis-related gene changes
Yueming Gu1, Guyue Li1, Cheng Huang1
1Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Animal Health, Institute of Animal Population Health, College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China.
Abstract:
Dichlorvos (DDVP) is an organophosphorus compound with insecticidal effects. Organophosphorus pesticides can easily enter humans or animals through various channels, causing cerebrum nerve cell damage. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether acute dichlorvos poisoning can cause cerebrum neurotoxic injury and change the expression of apoptosis-related genes in broilers, further clarify the neurotoxic mechanism after acute dichlorvos exposure, and provide a research basis for prevention, treatment and gene drug screening in the later stage. In this experiment, healthy yellow-feathered broilers were randomly assigned to the control group, the low-dose group (1.13 mg/kg) and the high-dose group (10.2 mg/kg) for modelling observation, and detection was conducted based on H&E (haematoxylin and eosin) staining, transmission electron microscopy analysis of tissue sections, immunofluorescence techniques and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results showed that organophosphorus poisoning was accompanied by obvious neurological symptoms such as limb twitching and massive salivation. In addition, we observed that compared with the control group, the number of lysed nuclear neurons, deformed vascular sheaths, and glial cells and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the poisoned group of broilers increased significantly, and the increase was more obvious in the low-dose group. However, cell apoptosis and mitochondrial structure dissolution were most pronounced in the high-dose group. Moreover, the qRT-PCR results also revealed significant changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes. The expression levels of ACC, LKB1 and GPAT increased significantly, while the expression of HMGR, PPARα, CPT1 and AMPKα1 decreased significantly. In summary, these results indicated that dichlorvos may cause the lysis of cerebrum nerve cell nuclei, completely destroy the structure of mitochondria, change the expression of related apoptotic genes, enhance cell apoptosis, and cause neurogenic damage to the cerebrum. These research results offer a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of acute organophosphate toxicosis.
Insights
Acute dichlorvos (DDVP) poisoning in broilers caused cerebrum neurotoxic injury, characterized by nerve cell lysis and mitochondrial damage. Dichlorvos exposure altered apoptosis-related gene expression, indicating a potential mechanism for neurotoxicity.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Toxicology
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Organophosphorus compounds like dichlorvos (DDVP) are widely used insecticides.
- Exposure to organophosphorus pesticides can lead to neurotoxic effects in humans and animals.
- Cerebrum nerve cell damage is a known consequence of pesticide exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neurotoxic effects of acute dichlorvos poisoning on the cerebrum of broilers.
- To examine changes in apoptosis-related gene expression following dichlorvos exposure.
- To elucidate the neurotoxic mechanism of dichlorvos and provide a basis for prevention and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Broilers were exposed to low (1.13 mg/kg) and high (10.2 mg/kg) doses of dichlorvos.
- Histopathological analysis using H&E staining and transmission electron microscopy was performed.
- Immunofluorescence for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) for gene expression were utilized.
Main Results:
- Neurological symptoms like limb twitching and salivation were observed.
- Dichlorvos exposure led to increased lysed nuclear neurons, deformed vascular sheaths, and glial cells, with elevated GFAP expression.
- High-dose exposure showed pronounced cell apoptosis and mitochondrial damage, alongside significant alterations in apoptosis-related gene expression (e.g., increased ACC, LKB1, GPAT; decreased HMGR, PPARα, CPT1, AMPKα1).
Conclusions:
- Acute dichlorvos poisoning induces cerebrum neurotoxic injury in broilers.
- Dichlorvos exposure results in nerve cell lysis, mitochondrial destruction, and altered apoptosis gene expression.
- These findings provide a theoretical foundation for understanding and managing acute organophosphate toxicosis.
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