Pesticide disrupts neuronal potentiation
The pesticide deltamethrin is widely considered a safer alternative to other chemicals, such as organophosphates due to being less toxic to mammals. However, previous studies in mice showed that deltamethrin exposure at early stages of development can lead to neuronal toxicity, but scientists do not understand the mechanism involved. Therefore, Leandra Koff and a team led by Fernanda Laezza from the Sealy Center of Environmental Health & Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch and colleagues in the U.S. investigated how deltamethrin induces neuronal toxicity and published their in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics.
The team focused on brain-derived extracellular vesicles, or BDEVs, structures that transport molecules, such as signaling proteins, between cells in the brain. Because changes in the BDEV proteome can be a sign of disease, the team used a mass spectrometry–based approach to compare the protein content of BDEVs in mice exposed to deltamethrin and controls. They found several differentially expressed proteins between the two groups. Some alterations are associated with neuronal structure, transport and long-term potentiation, which promotes synaptic connections and plays a role in learning and memory. These proteomic differences could be one explanation for neuronal toxicity due to impaired nutrient transport and growth.
BDEV protein levels could be used as biomarkers to evaluate the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. More research is needed to understand how these proteins disrupt neuronal function at later stages of development.
Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from ASBMB Today
Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles
Bacteriophage protein could make queso fresco safer
Researchers characterized the structure and function of PlyP100, a bacteriophage protein that shows promise as a food-safe antimicrobial for preventing Listeria monocytogenes growth in fresh cheeses.
Building the blueprint to block HIV
Wesley Sundquist will present his work on the HIV capsid and revolutionary drug, Lenacapavir, at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7鈥�10, in Maryland.
Gut microbes hijack cancer pathway in high-fat diets
Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research found that a high-fat diet increases ammonia-producing bacteria in the gut microbiome of mice, which in turn disrupts TGF-尾 signaling and promotes colorectal cancer.
Mapping fentanyl鈥檚 cellular footprint
Using a new imaging method, researchers at State University of New York at Buffalo traced fentanyl鈥檚 effects inside brain immune cells, revealing how the drug alters lipid droplets, pointing to new paths for addiction diagnostics.
Designing life鈥檚 building blocks with AI
Tanja Kortemme, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, will discuss her research using computational biology to engineer proteins at the 2026 ASBMB Annual Meeting.
Cholesterol as a novel biomarker for Fragile X syndrome
Researchers in Quebec identified lower levels of a brain cholesterol metabolite, 24-hydroxycholesterol, in patients with fragile X syndrome, a finding that could provide a simple blood-based biomarker for understanding and managing the condition.