• Evaluation of Chlorpyrifos insecticide on the organogenesis stage in Mus musculus
  • Nastaran Vahabi Barzi,1 Zohre Eftekhari,2,* Zeinab Ghezelayagh,3 Akram Eidi,4 Nazanin Jabbari,5 parisa gheibi,6
    1. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
    2. Research & Production Complex, Quality Control Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Alborz- Iran
    3. Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
    4. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
    5. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
    6. Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran


  • Introduction: Nowadays, one of the issues that matter in infertility is abortion or teratogenicity of embryos, followed by environmental pollution. Additionally, the continuous use of pesticides as the requirements of modern agriculture can increase the number of released radicals, which ultimately affects cell membranes and cell death via apoptosis pathway
  • Methods: In present study, 30 heads NMRI mice were divided into 3 groups: 1) Chlorpyrifos received group, 2) DMSO received as the sham group, 3) Control group. The mice were mated and euthanized 10 days post gestation. The number of embryos, progesterone and estradiol hormones and the liver enzymes levels of mouse mothers were evaluated in each group. The apoptosis pathway genes (Bax and Bcl2) and protein expressions (caspase3 and caspase9) were evaluated in the embryos of each group by qPCR and immunohistochemistry staining, respectively
  • Results: The number of embryos in the experimental group was significantly lower than from the other groups. The liver enzymes and hormone levels were higher in CPF induced mice in comparison to the others. The mRNA expression of Bax in the embryos was significantly higher in the CPF group compared to sham and control groups. Caspase3 and Caspase9 protein expression revealed a higher rate of apoptosis in CPF group embryos.
  • Conclusion: Continuous use of Chlorpyrifos can be regarded as having a negative effect on pregnancy as well as raising the mechanism of apoptosis in the development of embryos that may contribute to abortion or the birth of teratogenic disorders embryos
  • Keywords: Chlorpyrifos, Embryos, Apoptosis pathway, Mice