EUGENIA DUMITRESCU, VIORICA CHIURCIU, FLORIN MUSELIN, ROXANA POPESCU, DIANA BREZOVAN, ROMEO TEODOR CRISTINA

Effects of long-term exposure of female rats to low levels of lead: ovary and uterus histological architecture changes

The aim of the current study was to evaluate lead accumulation in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus and to take note of any consequent histo-architectural changes. The experiment involved a 12-month chronic exposure of 28 Wistar female rats at sexual maturity (221 ± 0.88 g/individual) to lead acetate in drinking water. The rats were divided into 4 groups based on the level of lead exposure: E1 at 0.050 mg L^{-1}, E2 at 0.100 mg L^{-1}, E3 at 0.150 mg L^{-1} , and a control group that received tap water. Lead level evaluation was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry at 283.3 nm and the histo-architectonics in target organs were evaluated after hematoxylin and eosin staining and microscopy. The exposure to lead acetate produced significant histological alterations caused by lead accumulation in the sexual organs. These structural changes correlated with the level of exposure in the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes. They were mainly edemas and necrosis, denudation, and/or different stages of follicle evolution. These alterations have been shown to indicate infertility in female rats.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Histo-architecture, lead, rat model, reproductive toxicology

Effects of long-term exposure of female rats to low levels of lead: ovary and uterus histological architecture changes

Keywords:

Histo-architecture, lead, rat model, reproductive toxicology,

PDF

___

Andrews JS (1993). Biologic Monitoring and Biomarkers. ATSDR - Hazardous Waste Conference. Atlanta, GA, USA: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
ATSDR (2007). Toxicological Profile for Lead. Atlanta, GA, USA: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Baghurst PA, Robertson EF, Oldfield RK, King BM, McMichael AJ, Vimpani GV, Wigg NR (1991). Lead in the placenta, membranes, and umbilical cord in relation to pregnancy outcome in a lead-smelter community. Environ Health Pesp 90: 315–320.
Borja-Aburto VH, Hertz-Picciotto I, Rojas-Lopez MR, Farias P, Rios C, Blanco J (1999). Blood lead levels measured prospectively and risk of spontaneous abortion. Am J Epidemiol 18: 590– 597.
Dhir V, Dhand P (2010). Toxicological approach in chronic exposure to lead on reproductive functions in female rats (Rattus norvegicus). Toxicol Int 17: 1–7.
Dumitrescu E, Cristina RT, Muselin F (2014). Reproductive biology study of dynamics of female sexual hormones: a 12-month exposure to lead acetate rat model. Turk J Biol 38: 581–585.
European Commission (1986). Council Directive 86/609/EEC on the Approximation of Laws, Regulations, and Administrative Provisions of the Member States Regarding the Protection of Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission.
European Commission (2010). Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission.
Franks AP, Laughlin NK, Dierschke DJ, Bowman RE, Meller PA (1989). Effects of lead on luteal function in Rhesus monkeys. Biol Reprod 41: 1055–1062.
Gidlow DA (2004). Lead toxicity. Occup Med-Oxford 54: 76–81.
Hilderbrand DC, Der R, Griffin WT, Fahim MS (1973). Effect of lead acetate on reproduction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 115: 1058–1065.
Junaid M, Chowdhuri DK, Narayan R, Shanker R, Saxena DK (1997). Lead-induced changes in ovarian follicular development and maturation in mice. J Toxicol Env Health 1997; 50: 31–40.
Nampoothiri LP, Gupta S (2006). Simultaneous effect of lead and cadmium on granulosa cells: a cellular model for ovarian toxicity. Reprod Toxicol 21: 179–185.
NRC (1996). Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 8th ed. Washington, DC, USA: The National Academies Press, pp 21–55.
Piasek M, Kostial K (1991). Reversibility of the effects of lead on the reproductive performance of female rats. Reprod Toxicol 5: 45–51.
Pierce S (2006). SVH AEC SOP.26. Euthanasia of Mice and Rats. Melbourne, Australia: Animal Ethics Committee of St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Qureshi N, Sharma R, Mogra S, Panwar K (2010). Amelioration of lead induced alterations in ovary of Swiss mice, by antioxidant vitamins. J Herb Med Toxicol 4: 89–95.
Romanian Government (2002a). Law No. 471 of July 9th, 2002 Approving Government Ordinance No. 37/2002 for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Other Experimental Purposes. Bucharest, Romania: Government of Romania.
Romanian Government (2002b). Legea 458. Privind calitatea apei potabile (Romanian Law 458, About Drinking Water Quality). Bucharest, Romania: Government of Romania (in Romanian).
Saritha S, Reddy PS, Reddy GR (2011). Partial recovery of suppressed reproduction by Withania somnifera Dunal in female rats following perinatal lead exposure. Int J Green Pharm 5: 121– 125.
Shah AS, Shariff MM, Khan AS, Tayyab M, Chaudary AN, Ahmed N (2008). Correlation of blood lead levels with atresia of ovarian follicles of albino mice. Ann Pak Inst Med Sci 4: 188–192.
Sharma R, Qureshi N, Mogra S, Panwar K (2012). Lead induced infertility in Swiss mice and role of antioxidants. Univ J Environ Res Technol 2: 72–82.
Silberstein T, Saphier O, Paz-Tal O, Trimarchi JR, Gonzales L, Keefe DL (2006). Lead concentrates in ovarian follicle compromises pregnancy. J Trace Elem Med Biol 220: 205–207.
Șincai M (2000). Tehnici de citohistologie normală și patologică. Timisoara, Romania: Ed. Mirton (in Romanian).
Tang N, Zhu ZQ (2003). Adverse reproductive effects in female workers of lead battery plants. Int J Occup Med Env 16: 359– 361.
Taupeau C, Poupon J, Nome F, Lefevre B (2001). Lead accumulation in the mouse ovary after treatment-induced follicular atresia. Reprod Toxicol 15: 385–391.
Tchernitchin AN, Gaete L, Bustamante R, Sorokin YA (2003). Adulthood Prenatally Programmed Diseases: Health Relevance and Methods of Study. Hong Kong: iConcept Press.
Tchernitchin AN, Gaete L, Bustamante R, Baez A (2011). Effects of prenatal exposure to lead on estrogen action in the prepubertal rat uterus. Obstet Gynecol 2011: 329692.
Winder C (1993). Lead, reproduction and development. Neurotoxicology 14: 303–317.