Journal or Publishing Institution: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
Author(s): Defarge, N., Mesnage, R., Gress, S., and Séralini, G.E.
Article Type: Journal Publication
Record ID: 467
To the editor: The authors of the bibliographic review “Developmental and Reproductive Outcomes in Humans and Animals After Glyphosate Exposure: A Critical Analysis” (Williams et al., 2012) tentatively analyzed four of our articles concerning the cellular toxicity and endocrine-disrupting effects of glyphosate (G) – based herbicides (GBH) including Roundup (R) (Gasnier et al., 2009, Richard et al., 2005; Benachour et al., 2007; Benachour and Seralini, 2009). GBH are the most used pesticides worldwide and major pollutants of rivers and surface waters; moreover, they have become common food and feed contaminants since the development of agricultural edible genetically modified (GM) plants, most of which are tolerant to R (James, 2011). Therefore a review on the developmental and reproductive outcomes induced by these formulations is of great interest. This is also why we have analyzed numerous endpoints of cellular toxicities induced by GBH on more than 10 cell types, and for the first time on cells crucially involved in development. These include a human embryonic kidney-derived cell line, HEK293; fresh umbilical cord cells; and placental tissue. Of course, any sign of toxicity on these models may also concern developmental effects in contrast to the assertion of Williams et al. (2012). We have also studied GBH-induced endocrine disruption in other publications that were not reviewed by Williams et al. (2012). These reports focus on the hormonal effects of this pesticide on rat testicular cells (Clair et al., 2012) and the disruptions of human mitochondrial activity, caspases 3/7, cytochromes P-450, and glutathione S-transferase (Gasnier et al., 2010, 2011); in addition, they address membrane integrity and the study of combined effects with a modified insecticide produced by GM plants on a human embryonic cell line (Mesnage et al., 2012a), but also the possible effects on the family of an agricultural worker and his children (Mesnage et al., 2010a). We also synthesized these data (Mesnage et al., 2010b).
Williams et al. (2012) admit that we have demonstrated that GBH have more cytotoxic effects than G on human cells, and that there is a specific toxicity for adjuvants, and that G alone and R provoke human endocrine effects. However, they underestimate our experimental evidence and discredit our findings…
Citation: Defarge, N., Mesnage, R., Gress, S., and Séralini, G.E., 2012. Letter to the editor: Developmental and reproductive outcomes of roundup and glyphosate in humans and animals. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 15(7), 433-440.
