Under further investigation, Roundup APPEARS to be fairly safe. But then
as I mentioned, so did DDT. I don't know about "when used as directed",
but Roundup does have negative effects on the reproductive system at
some level...


Roundup Inhibits Steroidogenesis by Disrupting Steroidogenic Acute
Regulatory (StAR) Protein Expression

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES, (2000 Aug) 108 (8) 769-76

Recent reports demonstrate that many currently used pesticides have the
capacity to disrupt reproductive function in animals. Although this
reproductive dysfunction is typically characterized by alterations in
serum steroid hormone levels, disruptions in spermatogenesis, and loss
of fertility, the mechanisms involved in pesticide-induced infertility
remain undear. Because testicular Leydig cells play a crucial role in
male reproductive function by producing testosterone, we used the mouse
MA-10 Leydig tumor cell line to study the molecular events involved in
pesticide-induced alterations in steroid hormone biosynthesis. We
previously showed that the organochlorine insecticide lindane and the
organophosphate insecticide Dimethoate directly inhibit steroidogenesis
in Leydig cells by disrupting expression of the steroidogenic acute
regulatory (StAR) protein. StAR protein mediates the rate-limiting and
acutely regulated step in steroidogenesis, the transfer of cholesterol
from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane where the cytochrome
P450 side chain cleavage (P450scc) enzyme initiates the synthesis of all
steroid hormones. In the present study, we screened eight currently used
pesticide formulations for their ability to inhibit steroidogenesis,
concentrating on their effects on StAR expression in MA-10 cells. In
addition, we determined the effects of these compounds on the levels and
activities of the P450scc enzyme (which converts cholesterol to
pregnenolone) and the 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD)
enzyme (which converts pregnenolone to progesterone). Of the pesticides
screened, only the pesticide Roundup inhibited dibutyryl
[(Bu)2]cAMP-stimulated progesterone production in MA-10 cells without
causing cellular toxicity. Roundup inhibited steroidogenesis by
disrupting StAR protein expression, further demonstrating the
susceptibility of StAR to environmental pollutants. Key words. chemical
mixtures, cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage, environmental endocrine
disruptor, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, Leydig cells, Roundup,
steroid hormones, steroidogenesis, steroidogenic acute regulatory
protein. Environ Health Perspect 108:769-776 (2000).



Bill Oliver wrote:

In article ,
Tom Jaszewski newsgroup wrote:
You tell em billbo...Yeah! after all what could some analytical
chemist know about detrimental effects...end sarcasm


You're turning into quite the little ankle-biter, aren't
you, Tom. First you cyberstalk, then you try to use
sock puppets and anonymity, and now you follow me around
from thread to thread.

OK, Tom, my challenge stands.

One single scientific article in a peer-reviewed scientific
journal that claims to show that Roundup is dangerous to
humans when used as directed.

One. Just one.

billo

--
Stephen Sassman