Pesticides and plasma proteins: unexplored dimensions in neurotoxicity

Abstract

Pesticides have a number of significant benefits to humans with improved crop yield and controlled vector populations. The pesticides such as organochlorines, organophosphates and carbamates cause toxicity by either targeting the nervous system of the prospective pests or by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because humans are also exposed to them in the runaway process, there is an increasing risk of toxicity such as neurotoxicity or carcinogenicity. Apart from altering signal transduction pathways, disruption of protein phosphorylating pathways, hormonal impairment, etc., the pesticides interact with proteins, which may lead to various unexplored physiological consequences. Focusing on pesticides induced neurotoxicity, the interaction of pesticides with human serum albumin (HSA) and anti-proteinase alpha-2-macroglobulin (α₂M) has been discussed in the review article. The article presents a possible unexplored mechanism of neurotoxicity of pesticides and their interaction with α₂M, as it has a defensive role in the clearance of beta amyloid plaques in brain. This review also focuses on the possibilities of pesticide interaction with other non-plasma proteins leading to unknown biological consequences yet to be investigated.

Keywords:

• Pesticides
• neurotoxicity
• serum albumin
• alpha-2-macrogobulin
• reactive oxygen species
• fibrinogen
• organophosphates
• carbamates

Acknowledgment

Authors wish to thank the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India for the departmental financial support. SD is thankful to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for providing Senior Research Fellowship (SRF).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supporting materials.