In normal functioning cells, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the major control site for folding, modification, and trafficking of secretory and cell-surface proteins. ER also plays a crucial role in the maintenance of cellular calcium homeostasis. Since ER is a key organelle in the cell; ER stress-mediated cell death can be associated with numerous diseases including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, neuronal damage-induced ischemia, prion disease, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes mellitus. ER stress is a consequence of complex mechanisms which several cellular pathways interact with each other simultaneously. The two most important initiating points for ER stress-mediated cell death are; transcription factor CHOP/GADD153 and ER membrane protein kinase (IRE1). ER stress triggers proteolytic cleavage of caspase-12 and caspase-4, both of which are localized at the cytoplasmic side of the ER membrane to initiate the mechanism of cell death. Thus, ER stress and mitochondrial apoptosis are linked via caspase-12, which is seen in several degenerative diseases.
Part of the book: Programmed Cell Death
Pesticides include several classes such as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and have widespread usage in agriculture. Different type of pesticides and their combinations affect dairy animals through their lifetime and the livestock industry. Under chronic exposure conditions, hormonal and cellular systems of animals, which play a role in reproduction, are affected dramatically. Some of the insecticides act as endocrine disruptors and impair reproductive hormone metabolic pathways via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Additionally, insecticides could have harmful effects on reproductive organs that may cause infertility. The aim of this chapter is review the toxic effects of insecticides on animal reproductive system focusing on molecular mechanisms.
Part of the book: Animal Reproduction in Veterinary Medicine
Boron is an important element found in limited resources on earth, especially in Turkey, and is essential for living organisms. Boron plays key roles in human and animal systems. While boron shows its important effects as an essential element at low concentrations in the organism, it causes different toxic effects to occur at high concentrations. There are different studies on boron and boron-containing compounds effects on organisms, toxic effects mechanisms need to be detailed. Boron and its compounds can cause toxic effects in oral, dermal, and inhalation exposure and even deadly effects at very high concentrations. The use of disinfectant and cleaning products containing boron as sprays, fertilizers, etc., during the Covid-19 pandemic also increases the interest in this issue. Boron exposure could cause lung irritation, dermal irritation, genotoxicity in male reproductive system, teratogenicity in concentration-dependent manner. In vitro studies have tried to explain the toxic effects mechanisms. The aim of the current work is to explain the toxic effect mechanisms of boron and boron compounds on body systems.
Part of the book: The Toxicity of Environmental Pollutants