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Cited by 75Pesticide Exposure and ToxicityAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressCarcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment

Oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers after exposure to pesticides

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Ledda, Caterina, Cannizzaro, Emanuele, Cinà, Diana, Filetti, Vera, Vitale, Ermanno, Paravizzini, Gianluca, Di Naso, Concettina, Iavicoli, Ivo +1 more·2021·Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology
DOI 10.1186/s12995-020-00290-zPMC PMC7791774
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Abstract

Background: Recent epidemiological studies on workers describe that exposure to pesticides can induce oxidative stress by increased production of free radicals that can accumulate in the cell and damage biological macromolecules, for example, RNA, DNA, DNA repair proteins and other proteins and/or modify antioxidant defense mechanisms, as well as detoxification and scavenger enzymes. This study aimed to assess oxidative stress and DNA damage among workers exposed to pesticides. Methods: For this purpose, 52 pesticide exposed workers and 52 organic farmers were enrolled. They were assessed: the pesticide exposure, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total glutathione (TG), oxidized glutathione levels (GSSG), and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), levels. Results: Correlation between pesticide exposure was positively associated with high TBARS and 8-oxodG levels (p < 0.001). A negative association was founded with TG and GSSG and pesticide exposure. Conclusions: The present investigation results seem to indicate a mild augment in oxidative stress associated with pesticide exposure, followed by an adaptive response to increase the antioxidant defenses to prevent sustained oxidative adverse effects stress.

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  • In low-income countries (India) or developed countries with significant agricultural areas (China), most suicides by poisoning occurred mainly through the use of pesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates.

    “Concerning the type of substance used, it was observed that in low-income countries (India) or developed countries with significant agricultural areas (China), most suicides by poisoning occurred mainly through the use of pesticides such as organophosphates and carbamates, substances with muscarinic, nicotinic, and neurotoxic action [44].”

    From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [44]

    The Study design section describes occupational pesticide exposure among agricultural workers in Sicily, and the Discussion mentions organophosphates and carbamates as pesticide classes. Neither section addresses suicide by poisoning or its frequency in India or China. Searches for suicide, poisoning, and the claimed mechanism found no passage supporting those points. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ledda, C., Cannizzaro, E., Cinà, D., Filetti, V., Vitale, E., Paravizzini, G., Di Naso, C., Iavicoli, I., & Rapisarda, V.
Affiliations
  • University of Catania (IT)
  • University of Palermo (IT)
  • Ospedale Garibaldi (IT)
  • University of Naples Federico II (IT)
Corresponding author
Ledda, Caterina
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-01-07
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
1-1
ISSN
1745-6673 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12995-020-00290-z
PMC
PMC7791774
OpenAlex
W3121037873
Cited by
75
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 8
FWCI
8.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IRIS UniPA (University of Palermo) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • PubliCatt (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
Keywords
pesticide exposure, oxidative stress, DNA damage, agricultural labor, lipid peroxidation, TBARS, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, antioxidant defense, occupational exposure

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