Chronic exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide makes toad larvae more toxic

Chemical pollutants can exert various sublethal effects on wildlife, leading to complex fitness consequences. Many animals use defensive chemicals as protection from predators and diseases, yet the effects of chemical contaminants on this important fitness component are poorly known. Understanding such effects is especially relevant for amphibians, the globally most threatened group of vertebrates, because they are particularly vulnerable to chemical pollution. We conducted two experiments to investigate how exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides, the most widespread agrochemicals worldwide, affects the production of bufadienolides, the main compounds of chemical defence in common toads ( Bufo bufo ). In both experiments, herbicide exposure increased the amount of bufadienolides in toad tadpoles. In the laboratory, individuals exposed to 4 mg a.e./L glyphosate throughout their larval development had higher bufadienolide content at metamorphosis than non-exposed tadpoles, whereas exposure for 9 days to the same concentration or to 2 mg a.e./L throughout larval development or for 9 days had no detectable effect. In outdoor mesocosms, tadpoles from 16 populations exhibited elevated bufadienolide content after three-weeks exposure to both concentrations of the herbicide. These results show that pesticide exposure can have unexpected effects on non-target organisms, with potential consequences for the conservation management of toxin-producing species and their predators. </jats:p

Toxicity and sublethal effects of chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb on Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb insecticides exhibit good efficiency for control lepidopteran pests. The current study is a comprehensive analysis of the effect of lethal and sublethal concentrations of these insecticides on Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by using the leaf dipping technique. The LC50 values ranged from 0.06 to 1.07 mg/L, and 0.005 to 0.81 mg/L for chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb, respectively. Our results showed that the treatment of the 2nd instar larvae with LC50 concentrations of these insecticides significantly increased the length of larval and pupal duration as well as pupal weight in most cases. While, no significant differences have been found in the percentage of hatchability except for LC50 equivalent of indoxacarb. Female behavior regarding calling activity decreased by 50–60% following exposure to the LC50 concentration of both insecticides. Gas chromatography analysis results showed that both insecticides lowered pheromone titer except at chlorantraniliprole LC50 equivalent for (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-l-ol acetate, and indoxacarb LC10 equivalent for (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate. Additionally, the activity of mixed-function oxidases and glutathione S-transferase were elevated relative to control. The carboxylesterase activity significantly increased when assayed with both chlorant-raniliprole concentrations and indoxacarb LC10 equivalent. These results indicate that chlorantraniliprole and indoxacarb could be effective for S. littoralis control

Indolepropionic Acid, a Metabolite of the Microbiome, Has Cytostatic Properties in Breast Cancer by Activating AHR and PXR Receptors and Inducing Oxidative Stress

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Fecal expression of Escherichia coli lysine decarboxylase (LdcC) is downregulated in E-cadherin negative lobular breast carcinoma

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Lithocholic Acid, a Metabolite of the Microbiome, Increases Oxidative Stress in Breast Cancer

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