2. Academic Validation
  3. Effects of pesticide dichlorvos on liver injury in rats and related toxicity mechanisms

Effects of pesticide dichlorvos on liver injury in rats and related toxicity mechanisms

  • Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jan 15:290:117747. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.117747.
Pengcheng Zhang 1,  Zixian Zhou 2,  Jiaqi Yao 3,  Yuhong Jiang 3,  Hang Lei 3,  Zhijun Xie 4,  Juan Li 3,  Xianlin Zhao 3,  Lv Zhu 3,  Meihua Wan 3,  Ling Liu 2,  Wenfu Tang 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 West China Center of Excellence for Pancreatitis, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
  • 2 Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
  • 3 West China Center of Excellence for Pancreatitis, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
  • 4 Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Lu zhou, Sichuan 646000, China.
  • 5 West China Center of Excellence for Pancreatitis, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 39823667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.117747
Abstract

Dichlorvos (DDVP) is an organophosphorus pesticide commonly utilized in agricultural production. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to DDVP correlates with an increased incidence of liver disease. However, data regarding the hepatotoxicity of DDVP remain limited. Additionally, the regulatory mechanisms underlying DDVP-induced liver injury have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we utilized Wistar rats and BRL-3A cells to establish in vivo and in vitro models for examining the effects of DDVP exposure on liver damage. Our findings indicate that DDVP impairs hepatocyte Autophagy and increases ROS activity. RNA Sequencing and metabolomic analyses revealed that the pathways affected by DDVP exposure in hepatocytes include ABC transporters and amino acid biosynthesis processes. Furthermore, targeting IRGM overexpression through hepatic portal vein injection of adeno-associated virus mitigated DDVP-induced liver injury. These results demonstrate that DDVP exposure induces liver damage in rats through mechanisms that are dependent on ROS and Autophagy, at least in part by downregulating IRGM. Our study offers new insights into the molecular mechanisms of liver injury following organophosphate poisoning and suggests that IRGM may represent a novel therapeutic target for DDVP-induced liver injury.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Dichlorvos; Ferroptosis; IRGM; Incomplete autophagy; Liver damage.

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