PESQUISA DE MIELOPEROXIDASE E OUTROS MARCADORES LABORATORIAIS EM INDIVÍDUOS EXPOSTOS CRONICAMENTE A PRAGUICIDAS

Abstract

Pesticides are widely used around the world for pest control and guarantee increased productivity. As is harmful to insects and weeds, are also toxic to humans . Pesticides are related to alterations of the immune system, are neurotoxic, and involved with alterations em endocrine system, besides interfering with metabolism. Exposure to pesticides is monitored by measurement of biomarkers, especially cholinesterase , and through changes in laboratory tests. The most commonly used pesticides are those belonging to the class of organophosphates, whose mechanism of action is irreversible inhibition of cholinesterase. Pesticides being involved in alterations of the immune system, and cardiovascular disease, this study aimed to evaluate the activity of myeloperoxidase (present in phagocytic cells) in individuals chronically exposed to pesticides, in addition to other laboratory markers. This study included 79 volunteers , divided into 3 groups : 1 ) EDP : direct exposure to pesticides ; 2) EIP : indirect exposure to pesticides , and 3) C : control, volunteers not exposed, or low exposure to pesticides. Laboratory tests for glucose, total cholesterol and fractions , triglycerides , AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, myeloperoxidase (MPO) , alpha-1- acid glycoprotein (AGP), high sensitive C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), total antioxidant capacity, cholinesterase were performed and CBC . There were significant increases in urea in the EDP group. High levels of MPO, AGP and glucose were found for the EDP and EIP groups. The Hs-CRP showed a direct correlation with the values of AGP, but was elevated only for the EIP group. Significant reduction in total antioxidant capacity of serum was found in groups EDP and EIP. The cholinesterase values showed significantly higher activity in the EDP group. With these results we concluded that chronic exposure to pesticides can lead to an adaptive increase in cholinesterase activity resulting in decreased anti-inflammatory action of acetylcholine, with increased levels of myeloperoxidase and other markers of inflammation.