Pesticides and human chronic diseases: Evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives

• Published in: Toxicology and applied pharmacology 2013-04, Vol.268 (2), p.157-177
• Main Authors: Mostafalou, Sara, Abdollahi, Mohammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Abnormalities, Drug-Induced - etiology; Alzheimer; Alzheimer Disease - chemically induced; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - chemically induced; Animals; ARTERIOSCLEROSIS; ASTHMA; Biological and medical sciences; Birth defects; Cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic Disease; Chronic diseases; CORONARIES; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Diabetes; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Endocrine disruption; ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM; Endoplasmic reticulum stress; ENZYMES; Epigenesis, Genetic - drug effects; Epigenetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic damage; Humans; LUPUS; Medical sciences; MITOCHONDRIA; Mitochondria - drug effects; Mitochondrial dysfunction; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); NEOPLASMS; Neoplasms - chemically induced; Nephropathy; Neurology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Parkinson; Parkinson Disease, Secondary - chemically induced; PESTICIDES; Pesticides - toxicity; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Proteotoxicity; RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGANISMS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS; RECEPTORS; Reproduction - drug effects; REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS; Reproductive toxicity; RHEUMATIC DISEASES; Systematic review; Teratology. Teratogens; Toxicology; Tumors; Unfolded Protein Response - drug effects
• ISSN: 0041-008X; 1096-0333
• DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2013.01.025

Along with the wide use of pesticides in the world, the concerns over their health impacts are rapidly growing. There is a huge body of evidence on the relation between exposure to pesticides and elevated rate of chronic diseases such as different types of cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson, Alzheimer, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), birth defects, and reproductive disorders. There is also circumstantial evidence on the association of exposure to pesticides with some other chronic diseases like respiratory problems, particularly asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, chronic nephropathies, autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematous and rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and aging. The common feature of chronic disorders is a disturbance in cellular homeostasis, which can be induced via pesticides' primary action like perturbation of ion channels, enzymes, receptors, etc., or can as well be mediated via pathways other than the main mechanism. In this review, we present the highlighted evidence on the association of pesticide's exposure with the incidence of chronic diseases and introduce genetic damages, epigenetic modifications, endocrine disruption, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response (UPR), impairment of ubiquitin proteasome system, and defective autophagy as the effective mechanisms of action. ► There is a link between exposure to pesticides and incidence of chronic diseases. ► Genotoxicity and proteotoxicity are two main involved mechanisms. ► Epigenetic knowledge may help diagnose the relationships. ► Efficient policies on safe use of pesticides should be set up.