Frontiers in Physiology (Sep 2022)

Chronic dietary exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide results in total or partial reversibility of plasma oxidative stress, cecal microbiota abundance and short-chain fatty acid composition in broiler hens

  • Mathias Fréville,
  • Anthony Estienne,
  • Christelle Ramé,
  • Gaëlle Lefort,
  • Marine Chahnamian,
  • Christophe Staub,
  • Eric Venturi,
  • Julie Lemarchand,
  • Elise Maximin,
  • Alice Hondelatte,
  • Olivier Zemb,
  • Cécile Canlet,
  • Rodrigo Guabiraba,
  • Pascal Froment,
  • Joëlle Dupont

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.974688
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are massively used in agriculture. However, few studies have investigated the effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on avian species although they are largely exposed via their food. Here, we investigated the potential reversibility of the effects of chronic dietary exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides in broiler hens. For 42 days, we exposed 32-week-old hens to glyphosate-based herbicides via their food (47 mg/kg/day glyphosate equivalent, glyphosate-based herbicides, n = 75) corresponding to half glyphosate’s no-observed-adverse-effect-level in birds. We compared their performance to that of 75 control animals (CT). Both groups (glyphosate-based herbicides and control animals) were then fed for 28 additional days without glyphosate-based herbicides exposure (Ex-glyphosate-based herbicides and Ex-control animals). Glyphosate-based herbicides temporarily increased the plasma glyphosate and AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid) concentrations. Glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid mostly accumulated in the liver and to a lesser extent in the leg muscle and abdominal adipose tissue. Glyphosate-based herbicides also temporarily increased the gizzard weight and plasma oxidative stress monitored by TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). Glyphosate-based herbicides temporarily decreased the cecal concentrations of propionate, isobutyrate and propionate but acetate and valerate were durably reduced. The cecal microbiome was also durably affected since glyphosate-based herbicides inhibited Barnesiella and favored Alloprevotella. Body weight, fattening, food intake and feeding behavior as well as plasma lipid and uric acid were unaffected by glyphosate-based herbicides. Taken together, our results show possible disturbances of the cecal microbiota associated with plasma oxidative stress and accumulation of glyphosate in metabolic tissues in response to dietary glyphosate-based herbicides exposure in broiler hens. Luckily, glyphosate-based herbicides at this concentration does not hamper growth and most of the effects on the phenotypes are reversible.

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