Molecular mechanisms associated with arrhythmias induced by pyrethroids insecticides

• Grant number: 25/14994-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Toxicology
• Principal Investigator: Danilo Roman Campos
• Grantee: Diego Jose Orts y Belato
• Supervisor: Alicia D'Souza
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Imperial College London, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/07256-0 - Role of SCN5A polymorphisms on pharmacological properties of pesticides against Nav1.5, BP.PD

Abstract

Pesticide exposure constitutes a significant, yet often underappreciated, global health challenge. With an estimated 385 million cases of acute unintentional poisoning annually and approximately 11,000 fatalities, the immediate impact is undeniable. Beyond these acute events, growing epidemiological and experimental evidence links chronic pesticide exposure to a range of adverse health outcomes, including various forms of cardiotoxicity. Previous research by our group indicates that pyrethroids prolong action potentials and increase late sodium current, contributing to arrhythmias. The project proposes to evaluate the impact of acute exposure of human cardiomyocytes to permethrin and 3-PBA, focusing on action potential measurements using patch-clamp techniques. Moreover, ex vivo experiments will be performed to assess the presence of spontaneous arrhythmias in human heart slices exposed to the compounds. Additionally, molecular biology studies will be conducted for transcript profiling in human cardiomyocytes exposed to 3-PBA. This study seeks to fill gaps in the knowledge regarding pyrethroids-induced cardiotoxicity, aiming for future therapeutic interventions.