Exposure to Atrazine through gestation and lactation period led to impaired sexual maturation and subfertility in F1 male rats with congenital deformities in F2 progeny

Nicotine, a major toxic component of tobacco, has been identified as an important risk factor for infant and children diseases. It is concentrated in breast milk and is absorbed by the infant. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of maternal nicotine exposure during lactation on breast-fed rats and at the pubertal age by measuring biomarkers of oxidative stress. Particularly, a new parameter, the thiol concentration was evaluated. Two groups of lactating Wistar rats were used. For the first group, female rats were given an intraperitoenal injection of nicotine or saline (2 mg/kg per day) during lactation. For the second group, we reproduced the same process described above and then the female and male pups were separately kept after weaning without any treatment until the puberty (at 45 days of age). In the liver and lung of the offspring, we examined the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, the thiol concentration, and the activities of two antioxidant enzymes: superoxyde dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In the plasma, alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) activities were measured. For rats aged 21 days, the treatment significantly reduced the thiol concentration, SOD, and CAT activities but increased MDA level, AST, and ALT activities. For rats aged 45 days, the males and females did not react the same way. In fact, the males were more affected. These results indicate that maternal nicotine exposure during the lactation period induces oxidative stress in the liver and lung of lactating offspring, which is maintained until the puberty, especially for the male rats.

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Body adiposity and bone parameters of male rats from mothers fed diet containing flaxseed flour during lactation

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174415007977 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 314-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. A. S. da Costa ◽

P. C. A. da Silva ◽

D. C. Ribeiro ◽

A. D. D. Pereira ◽

A. d. S. d. Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Male Rats ◽

Skeletal Structure ◽

Male Rat ◽

Postnatal Life ◽

Lactation Period ◽

Body Adiposity ◽

Maximal Load ◽

Flaxseed Flour

Obesity and osteoporosis may have their origins in early postnatal life. This study was designed to evaluate whether flaxseed flour use during lactation period bears effect on body adiposity and skeletal structure of male rat pups at weaning. At birth, male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control and experimental (FF) groups, whose dams were treated with control or flaxseed flour diet, respectively, during lactation. At 21 days of age, pups were weaned to assess body mass, length and composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The animals were then sacrificed to carry out analysis of serum profile, intra-abdominal adipocyte morphology and femur characteristics. Differences were considered significant when P<0.05. The FF group displayed the following characteristics (P<0.05): higher body mass, length, bone mineral content, bone area and concentrations of osteoprotegerin, osteocalcin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; higher levels of stearic, α-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids and lower levels of arachidonic acid and cholesterol; smaller adipocyte area; and higher mass, epiphysis distance, diaphysis width, maximal load, break load, resilience and stiffness of femur. Flaxseed flour intake during lactation period promoted adipocyte hypertrophy down-regulation and contributed to pup bone quality at weaning.

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Expression of estrogen receptors and enzymes involved in sex steroid metabolism in the rat tibia during sexual maturation

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1800457 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 180 (3) ◽

pp. 457-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

BC van der Eerden ◽

CW Lowik ◽

JM Wit ◽

M Karperien

Keyword(s):

Bone Mass ◽

Sexual Maturation ◽

Bone Cells ◽

Male Rats ◽

Steroid Metabolism ◽

Sex Steroid ◽

Type I ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Bone Mass Accrual ◽

Er Alpha

Estrogens are essential for bone mass accrual but their role before sexual maturation has remained elusive. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we investigated the expression of both estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta mRNA and protein as well as several mRNAs coding for enzymes involved in sex steroid metabolism (aromatase, type I and II 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD), steroid sulfatase (STS) and type I 5 alpha-reductase) on sections of tibial metaphyses before (1- and 4-week-old), during (7-week-old) and after (16-week-old) sexual maturation in female and male rats. ER alpha and ER beta mRNA and protein were detected in metaphyseal bone in lining cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts and some osteocytes with no apparent differences in expression during development or between the sexes. In contrast, aromatase, type I and II 17 beta-HSD and type I 5 alpha-reductase mRNAs were first detected in osteoblasts, osteoclasts and occasionally in osteocytes from sexual maturation (7-week-old rat) and onwards. Only STS was present before sexual maturation. To study the significance of ER alpha and beta expression in bone before sexual maturation when circulating sex steroid levels are low, 26-day-old female and male rats underwent gonadectomy or 17 beta-estradiol (E(2)) supplementation (0.5 mg/21 days) during 3 weeks. Following gonadectomy, trabecular bone volume (TBV) was lower in males (P=0.03) and there was a trend towards reduction in females (P=0.057). E(2) supplementation increased tibial TBV compared with controls in both genders as assessed by Masson-Goldner staining. These data suggest that the presence of ERs in bone cells before sex maturation might be of significance for bone mass accrual. Furthermore, based on the mRNA expression of the crucial enzymes aromatase and type I 17 beta-HSD, we suggest that bone cells in the tibial metaphysis acquire the intrinsic capacity to metabolize sex steroids from sexual maturation onwards. This process may contribute to the beneficial effects of estrogen on bone mass accrual, possibly by intracrinology.

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Inhibition of Sexual Maturation in Male Rats by Melatonin: Evidence Linking the Mechanism of Action to Changes in the Regulation of Hypothalamic Neuropeptide Y

Journal of Neuroendocrinology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2826.1992.tb00337.x ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Roger Corder ◽

C. Dominique Walker ◽

Rolf G. Gaillard ◽

Michel L. Aubert

Keyword(s):

Neuropeptide Y ◽

Mechanism Of Action ◽

Sexual Maturation ◽

Male Rats

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N-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)-5-methoxytryptamine, a novel melatonin antagonist: effects on sexual maturation of the male and female rat and on oestrous cycles of the female rat

Journal of Endocrinology ◽

10.1677/joe.0.1160043 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 116 (1) ◽

pp. 43-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

M. Laudon ◽

Z. Yaron ◽

N. Zisapel

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Adult Female ◽

Sexual Maturation ◽

Young Male ◽

Female Rats ◽

Male Rats ◽

Female Rat ◽

Simultaneous Administration ◽

Serum Concentrations ◽

The Brain

ABSTRACT N-(3,5-dinitrophenyl)-5-methoxytryptamine (ML-23) has recently been synthesized and shown to antagonize the inhibitory effect of melatonin on the release of dopamine in vitro from the hypothalamus of female rats. In the present study the ability of ML-23 to inhibit in vivo the following melatonin-mediated effects was investigated: (1) delayed sexual maturation of young male rats, (2) delayed sexual maturation of young female rats, (3) inhibition of ovulation in mature female rats and (4) re-establishment of oestrous cycles in adult female rats maintained in continuous light. The inhibitory effect of daily melatonin injections, given in the afternoon, on the growth of the prostate gland and seminal vesicles and on serum testosterone concentrations in young male rats was prevented by daily injections of ML-23. Daily injections of ML-23 alone did not affect sexual maturation of young rats. In young male rats treated through the drinking water with melatonin, the growth of the accessory sex organs, but not that of the testes, was delayed and serum concentrations of testosterone were lower than in untreated rats. Administration of ML-23 through the drinking water increased serum concentrations of testosterone but did not significantly affect the weights of the accessory sex organs. Simultaneous administration of ML-23 and melatonin through the drinking water prevented completely, in a dose-dependent manner, the melatonin-mediated decrease in epididymal weights and in serum concentrations of testosterone and partially inhibited the delayed growth of the prostate glands and seminal vesicles. In young female rats treated with melatonin through the drinking water for 30 days, the growth of the ovaries was inhibited and serum concentrations of oestradiol were lower than in untreated rats. The growth of the uterus was not significantly affected. Administration of ML-23 through the drinking water did not significantly affect uterine and ovarian weights or oestradiol concentrations. Simultaneous administration of melatonin and ML-23 through the drinking water prevented completely the melatonin-mediated decrease in ovarian weights and in serum oestradiol concentrations. Ovulation during presumptive oestrus was prevented in adult female rats treated through the drinking water for 7 days with melatonin. Administration of ML-23 alone did not significantly affect the average numbers of ova shed and corpora lutea present. Simultaneous administration of ML-23 and melatonin prevented completely the melatonin-mediated inhibition of ovulation; the average number of ova shed was the same as in controls. Suppression of reproductive cycles occurred in adult female rats after long-term exposure to continuous light. This suppression was prevented by daily injections of melatonin in the afternoon; the incidence of constant oestrus decreased by 80%. Simultaneous injection of ML-23 and melatonin into rats maintained under continuous illumination prevented the effect of melatonin, and all the animals remained in constant oestrus. Administration of ML-23 alone did not alter the incidence of constant oestrus. A tritium-labelled derivative of ML-23 was prepared and administered orally to male rats. Peak concentrations of ML-23 occurred in the blood within 30 min after feeding and disappeared subsequently with a half-life of about 42 min. Intraperitoneal injection of [3H]ML-23 resulted in the appearance of peak concentrations of the drug in the brain within 20 min. The effects of ML-23 on serotonin S1 and S2 receptors, dopamine D2 receptors and melatonin receptors in the brain of the male rat were investigated using [3H]serotonin, [3H]spiperone and 2-[125I]iodomelatonin respectively. The binding of [3H]serotonin to brain synaptosomes and of [3H]spiperone to synaptosomes prepared from the cortical and caudate regions of the cerebrum was unaffected by ML-23 (10 μmol/l), whereas the binding of 2-[125I]iodomelatonin to brain synaptosomes was entirely inhibited. The results demonstrate the potency of ML-23 in antagonizing melatonin-mediated effects in the male and female rat in vivo. The drug may be administered to the animals simply through the drinking water, for relatively long periods without apparent deleterious effects on survival and welfare. ML-23 is accessible to both central and peripheral sites and acts specifically on melatonin but not on serotonin or dopamine receptors in the brain. The availability of a melatonin antagonist offers new opportunities for exploring the physiological role of melatonin in the neuroendocrine system. J. Endocr. (1988) 116, 43–53

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Inductive influence of testosterone upon central sexual maturation in the rat

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.17.1.171 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 171-175

Author(s):

W. N. Adams Smith ◽

M. T. Peng

Keyword(s):

Corpus Luteum ◽

Sex Hormones ◽

Adult Male ◽

Sexual Maturation ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Testosterone Propionate ◽

Single Injection ◽

Male Rats ◽

Corpora Lutea

The influence of the testis and of testosterone upon the development of the male genitalia has been extensively investigated and a number of reviews of this work have been published (Jost, 1960; Burns, 1961). However, Witschi (1957) has stressed the need to distinguish between adult sex hormones, such as testosterone, and the secretions of the immature gonad. The formation of corpora lutea in the ovaries transplanted to adult male rats which had been castrated at birth, and the absence of corpus luteum formation in ovaries transplanted to male hosts bearing transplanted testes in the neck from birth, was reported by Pfeiffer in 1936. Similar observations have been reported by Yazaki (1960) and Harris (1964). A single injection of testosterone propionate has been found to lead to permanent sterility and a loss of corpus luteum formation in the ovaries of mice (Barraclough & Leathern, 1954) and rats (Barraclough, 1961).

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