Glyphosate Alters Redox Balance and Induces Histomorphological Alterations in the Testes of Fruit-Eating Bats (Artibeus lituratus)

Abstract

We investigate the effects of Glyphosate (GLY) on the testes of fruit-eating bats (Artibeus lituratus). Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of short-time exposure to GLY herbicide on adult male bats testes. Adult male bats were exposed for three days: Control (fed fresh fruits) and GLY (fed 4 mL / 100 mL GLY-pulverized fruit). Animals fed with contaminated fruits showed a reduction in body mass. Antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) activity and carbonylated protein (PCN) levels increased in the teste’s GLY-exposed bats. Histomorphometry revealed an increase in the luminal parameters as well as in the epithelium tubule ratio, which is indicative of a reduction in epithelium area. There was also an increase in the percentage of macrophages and a decrease in the percentage and number of Leydig cells. The results indicate that short term exposure to GLY in frugivorous bats may cause oxidative stress of the tissue that possibly induces testicular morphological changes that may compromise the reproduction and maintenance of the species.