Pyridaben leads to inhibition of cell growth and induction of cell death through intracellular mechanisms in early pregnancy

Abstract Recently, infertility has become a major global issue. It is crucial to identify environmental factors that lead to infertility. The prevalent use of pesticides in agriculture results in the exposure of livestock and humans to these pesticides. Studies have reported the harmful effects of pesticides on pregnancy. Pyridaben, a pesticide that inhibits mitochondrial complex 1, has been reported to have detrimental effects on neurons, spermatogenesis, hormonal balance, and embryonic development. However, the effect of pyridaben on the female reproductive system has not yet been studied. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the effects of pyridaben on early pregnancy in porcine reproductive cell lines, which are known to mimic the female reproductive system. Results demonstrated that pyridaben decreased cell growth in porcine endometrial luminal epithelial and porcine trophectoderm cell lines through inhibition of cell signal transduction. Further, pyridaben increased subG1 phase and late apoptosis through the induction of reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial dysfunction, calcium unbalances, pro-apoptotic signals, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Moreover, we found that pyridaben induced autophagy and inhibition of placentation through the regulation of ER-mitochondria axis proteins. Overall, pyridaben was found to be harmful in early pregnancy in pigs and may have similar effects in human pregnancy.