Investigation of the effects of green tea on peripheral blood neutrophils culture exposed to the gliphosate herbicide

• Grant number: 24/14445-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Rosemari Otton
• Grantee: Marcus Vinicius Aquino Silva
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa. Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul (UNICSUL). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The immune system is essential for the defence of the human body against various pathogens and antigens, using various cells, antibodies, cytokines, and other proteins in the search to maintain the integrity of the organism. Didactically, the immune system can be divided into two main branches: the adaptive immune system, responsible for more specific and long-lasting responses, which involve cellular memory mechanisms; and the innate immune system, characterised by a rapid and non-specific response to any antigens. Belonging to the innate immune system, neutrophils are among the most abundant leukocytes in the bloodstream, and their constant presence is due to their vital role in identifying, coordinating, and promoting the inflammatory process through chemical signals known as interleukins. Glyphosate, an organophosphate herbicide widely used around the world, is associated with several harmful effects on human health, in addition to promoting environmental dysbiosis. Studies show that glyphosate induces oxidative stress in blood cells, causing catastrophic damage to cellular metabolism. In contrast, green tea, rich in polyphenols and catechins, among others, has the potential to modulate the toxic effects of glyphosate, as evidenced by other studies, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thus offering a less invasive therapeutic approach. In this scenario, the objective of this research is to investigate the effects of acute exposure to the herbicide glyphosate on neutrophils with or without co-exposure to green tea extract, associating the results with metabolic, inflammatory, and endocrine outcomes of this leukocyte. Parameters such as the cytotoxicity of the glyphosate-based herbicide, the inflammatory profile, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) will be analyzed. The results of this study will significantly contribute to scientific knowledge about the adverse effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on neutrophils and the possible beneficial modulating effect of green tea in this context.