From dysbiosis to neuropathologies: Toxic effects of glyphosate in zebrafish

Glyphosate, a globally prevalent herbicide known for its selective inhibition of the shikimate pathway in plants, is now implicated in physiological effects on humans and animals, probably due to its impacts in their gut microbiomes which possess the shikimate pathway. In this study, we investigate the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of glyphosate on the gut microbiota, neurotransmitter levels, and anxiety in zebrafish. Our findings demonstrate that glyphosate exposure leads to dysbiosis in the zebrafish gut, alterations in central and peripheral serotonin levels, increased dopamine levels in the brain, and notable changes in anxiety and social behavior. While the dysbiosis can be attributed to glyphosate's antimicrobial properties, the observed effects on neurotransmitter levels leading to the reported induction of oxidative stress in the brain indicate a novel and significant mode of action for glyphosate, namely the impairment of the microbiome-gut-axis. While further investigations are necessary to determine the relevance of this mechanism in humans, our findings shed light on the potential explanation for the contradictory reports on the safety of glyphosate for consumers.

This work has been funded with the grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), PID2020-113371RB-C21, PID2020–113371RA-C22, PID2021–128084OB-I00, and TED2021–130845A-C32 (co-funded by the European Union Next Generation EU/ PRTR). Juliette Bedrossiantz was supported by a PhD grant (PRE2018–083513) co-funded by the Spanish Government and the European Social Fund (ESF).

Peer reviewed