Autophagy Induction in Wistar Rat Lens by Organophosphate Pesticide

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate insecticide widely used to control insect pests. Its notably high import rate in Indonesia indicates its popularity among farmers. In the human body, CPF’s active metabolite is long-lasting and can elevate reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, leading to oxidative stress. This oxidative stress subsequently induces autophagy, a catabolic process in which cells degrade and recycle their components within the lysosome, including in the eye lens. This study aims to demonstrate the induction of autophagy in the lenses of Wistar rats exposed to CPF, as evidenced by ROS levels indicated by measurements of MDA, SOD expression, H2O2, mTOR, LC3-II, p62, IL-1β, and caspase-3 in lens tissue. This study utilizes a true experimental design with a post-test-only control group arrangement and took place in the Pharmacology Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Jember. A total of 24 male Wistar rats were utilized, separated into two groups: a control group and a treatment group that was administered CPF at a dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight each day via oral gavage for 14 days. Measurements of MDA, SOD, and H2O2 levels in the eye lenses were obtained using enzymatic colorimetric methods. Additionally, mTOR levels were assessed through Western Blot, while LC3-II, p62, IL-1β, and caspase-3 levels were measured using ELISA. The t-test results show that there is no significant difference between the control and treatment groups for the ROS, SOD, and H2O2 variables (p > 0.05). On the other hand, for the p62, IL-1β, LC3-II, Caspase-3, and mTOR variables, there are significant differences between the control and treatment groups (p < 0.05). These findings substantiate that exposure to the organophosphate pesticide CPF can induce autophagy in the eye lens.