Project: Study the effects of environmental pollutants on the neuro-immuno-endocrine system.
Linked Target: Study the effects of environmental pollutants on the neuro-immuno-endocrine system.
General description: The city of Rosario is inserted in a region of great economic importance. Together with the areas of influence of the cities of Venado Tuerto and Pergamino, it forms the so-called agrarian triangle, in turn around 70% of the country's cereal production is exported through its port. The Great Rosario also adds agro-industry, oil refinery, paper production, along with metallurgical industries. In other words, it is a place of high environmental contamination and where part of the population could be exposed to various xenobiotics, capable of marking a certain pattern of contamination because they occur together. For this reason, it is extremely important to carry out a relational observational study between the components of the subgroup of persistent environmental pollutants, such as dioxins and furans, among others (glyphosate) and their eventual link with possible modifications in the neuro-immunoendocrine profile, for example: alterations in levels of catecholamines, hormones of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, increase in inflammatory mediators and/or changes in the functional capacity of the immune system, suffered by people who are exposed to said contaminants. For this, a blood sample will be taken (after signing an informed consent) in order to detect the presence of environmental contaminants, and carry out studies aimed at detecting possible biomarkers of effect and/or exposure to contaminants, such as:
– Biological markers of immunotoxicity (complete blood count; cell populations by cytometry, markers of inflammatory and hormonal responses)
– Gene expression markers
– Markers of oxidative damage
In addition, it would be of great importance to deepen the knowledge about the potential effects of these environmental contaminants on possible modifications in the functional capacity of lymphocytes and macrophages. This project could allow the identification of biological markers associated with the diagnosis of environmental contamination, as well as laying the foundations for carrying out a subsequent Risk Assessment that allows for the suggestion of policies for the control of environmental pollutants in the region.
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Director: bettina bongiovanni
Members: Ariana Díaz, Estefanía Massa, Arístides Pochettino, Mariano Mussi, Magdalena Diab, Matilde Imhoff, Georgina Gallucci, Luciano D'Attilio and Adriaña Ipiña Hernandez.
Spaces/Institutions/Academic Units: Faculty of Medical Sciences (UNR); Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (UNR); IDICER (CONICET-UNR); IFIR (CONICET-UNR).