Oxidative stress and thyroid impairment after gibberellic acid treatment in pregnant and lactating rats and their offspring.
Gibberellic acid (GA₃) has been worldwide used in agriculture as a plant growth regulator. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of GA₃ on the morphology and the thyroid hormone levels in adult rats and their suckling pups. Animals were given daily 200 ppm GA₃ in drinking water from the 14th day of pregnancy until day 14 after delivery. Compared with a control group, GA₃-treated mothers and pups showed an increase in body and thyroid weights, a decrease in plasma FT₄ and FT₃ levels, which were more pronounced in pups than in their mothers. Thyroid iodine content was also decreased in pups. These biochemical modifications corresponded histologically; the majority of follicles had cubical epithelial cells, which surrounded empty vesicular cavities. Toxicity was objectified by a significant increase in plasma malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, and advanced oxidation protein products levels in GA₃-treated dams and their suckling pups; while, the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were decreased in plasma of both dams and their pups. Moreover, a significant decline was observed in plasma glutathione, nonprotein thiols, and vitamin C levels. We conclude that GA₃ treatment affects thyroid function and plasma antioxidant status in adult rats and their progeny.
Animal Physiology Laboratory, University of Sfax, Faculty of Science, BP1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
Afef
A
Troudi
Ibtissem Ben
IB
Amara
Amira Mahjoubi
AM
Samet
Hamadi
H
Fetoui
Nejla
N
Soudani
Fadhel
F
Guermazi
Tahia
T
Boudawara
Najiba
N
Zeghal
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000633:toxicity*; D007774:Lactation; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009929:Organ Size; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D050050:Protein Carbonylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005875:Gibberellins; D010575:Pesticides; D014284:Triiodothyronine; C007842:gibberellic acid; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase; D013974:Thyroxine