Effect of long-term exposure to pesticides on plasma esterases from plastic greenhouse workers

Previous reports in animals considered beta-glucuronidase activity as a novel biomarker of anticholinesterase (organophosphates and carbamates) pesticides exposure. Acid phosphatase activity was also shown to increase after organophosphates exposure. In addition, there is evidence that the paraoxonase status influences sensitivity to specific pesticides. In this study, activities of beta-glucuronidase, acid phosphatase, cholinesterase, and paraoxonase were measured in plasma from plastic greenhouse workers exposed over the long term to different pesticides, including organophosphates and carbamates, in order to evaluate the potential chronic toxicity of pesticides at occupational level. Our results show that activities of paraoxonase and cholinesterase were decreased in applicators of pesticides compared to non-applicators. Likewise, it was found that activities of beta-glucuronidase and acid phosphatase were associated with pesticide exposure in humans, and that both biochemical parameters were related to each other. Interestingly, the paraoxonase B allele (phenotyped in plasma) was associated with a higher risk of inhibition of cholinesterase activity above a 25% level, which supports the hypothesis that paraoxonase phenotypes are associated with susceptibility of humans to anticholinesterase pesticides toxicity.