Eugenia DUMITRESCU, Romeo Teodor CRISTINA, Florin MUSELIN

Reproductive biology study of dynamics of female sexual hormones: a 12-month exposure to lead acetate rat model

In human and animal organisms, lead can cause reproductive problems beginning with pregnant females. The reproductive axis is particularly sensitive to lead, its influence resulting in a delayed sexual maturity due to biosynthesis suppression of the sexual steroids. An animal model study was carried out on 28 white Wistar adult female rats, divided into 3 experimental (E) groups that were exposed for 12 months to lead acetate in drinking water as follows: 50 ppb Pb (E1), 100 ppb Pb (E2), and 150 ppb Pb (E3), with a control group (M) that received unleaded tap water. Levels of FSH, LH, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were evaluated in the proestrus phase by ELISA technique. Data obtained were compared by one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. As a conclusion, compared to the M group, we can ascertain that lead acetate administered over a long-term period to female rats determines (with the exception of estradiol and progesterone), in direct correlation with the exposure levels, the following: significantly decreased FSH, but still within physiological limits of serum levels; significantly higher serum levels of LH; significantly decreased serum levels of estradiol and progesterone; and significantly higher serum levels of testosterone.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Reproductive biology, females, hormones, rats, lead acetate

Reproductive biology study of dynamics of female sexual hormones: a 12-month exposure to lead acetate rat model

Keywords:

Reproductive biology, females, hormones, rats, lead acetate,

PDF

___

Altundoğan HS, Erdem M, Orhan R, Özer A, Tümen F (1998). Heavy metal pollution potential of zinc leach residues discarded in Çinkur plant. Turkish J Eng Env Sci 22: 167–178.
Council of Europe (1986). ECPVAEOSP: European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe.
Cunningham GJ, Klein BG (2007). Textbook of Veterinary Physiology. 4th ed. St Louis, MO, USA: Saunders Elsevier.
Dearth KR, Hiney KJ, Srivastava V, Burdick BS, Bratton RG, Dees WL (2002). Effects of lead (Pb) exposure during gestation and lactation on female pubertal development in the rat. Reprod Toxicol 16: 343–352.
Dearth KR, Hiney JK, Srivastava V, Dees WL, Bratton RG (2004). Low lead exposure during gestation and lactation: assessment of effects on pubertal development in Fisher 344 and Sprague- Dawley female rats. Life Sci 74: 1139–1148.
Doumouchtsis KK, Doumouchtsis SK, Doumouchtsis EK, Perrea DN (2009). The effect of lead intoxication on endocrine functions. J Endocrinol Invest 32: 175–183.
EPA (1997). Public Health Goal for Lead in Drinking Water. Washington, DC, USA: Environmental Protection Agency.
European Council (2010). Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes. Brussels, Belgium: European Council.
Foster WG (1992). Reproductive toxicity of chronic lead exposure in the female cynomolgus monkey. Reprod Toxicol 6: 123–131.
Foster WG, Memahon A, Rice DC (1996). Subclinical changes in luteal function in cynomolgus monkeys with moderate blood lead levels. J Appl Toxicol 16: 159–163.
Freeman ME (1994). The neuroendocrine control of the ovarian cycle of the rat. In. Knobil E, Neill JD, editors. The Physiology of Reproduction. New York, NY, USA: Raven Press, pp. 613–658.
Humphreys DJ (1988). Veterinary Toxicology. 3rd ed. London, UK: Baillière Tindall.
Karakaş A, Coşkun H, Kızılkaya FU (2013). Memory-enhancing effects of the leptin hormone in Wistar albino rats: sex and generation differences. Turk J Biol 37: 222–229.
Maeda KI, Ohkura S, Tsukamura H (2000). Physiology of reproduction. In: Krinke GJ, editor. The Laboratory Rat. London, UK: Academic Press, pp. 145–174.
Nampoothiri LP, Gupta S (2006). Simultaneous of effect of lead and cadmium on granulosa cells: a cellular model for ovarian toxicity. Reprod Toxicol 21: 179–185.
Nicolopoulou-Stamati P, Pitsos MA (2001). The impact of endocrine disrupters on the female reproductive system. Hum Reprod Update 7: 323–230.
Pierce S (2006). SVH AEC SOP.26. Euthanasia of mice and rats. Melbourne, Australia: Animal Ethics Committee of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
Pinon-Lataillade G, Thoreux-Manlay A, Coffigny H, Soufir JC (1995). Reproductive toxicity of chronic lead exposure in male and female mice. Reprod Toxicol 14: 872–878.
Polat F, Dere E, Gül E, Yelkuvan İ, Özdemir Ö, Bingöl G (2013). The effect of 3-methylcholanthrene and butylated hydroxytoluene on glycogen levels of liver, muscle, testis, and tumor tissues of rats. Turk J Biol 37: 33–38.
Qureshi N, Sharma R (2012). Lead toxicity and infertility in female Swiss mice: a review. JCBPS 2: 1849–1861.
Romanian Government (2002). Law No. 471 of 9 July 2002 Approving Government Ordinance no. 37/2002 for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Other Experimental Purposes. Bucharest, Romania: Government of Romania.
Ronis MJ, Gandy J, Badger T (1998). Endocrine mechanisms underlying reproductive toxicity in the developing rat chronically exposed to dietary lead. J Tox Env Heal A 54: 77– 99.
Ronis MJ, Gandy J, Badger T, Shema SJ, Roberson PK, Shaikh F (1996). Reproductive toxicity and growth effect in rats exposed to lead at different periods during development. Tox Appl Pharm 2: 361–371.
Ryan KJ (1982). Biochemistry of aromatase: significance to female reproductive physiology. Cancer Res 42: 3342–3344.
Silberstein T, MacLaughlin DT, Shai I, Trimarchi JR, Lambert- Messerlian G, Seifer DB, Keefe DL, Blazar AS (2006). Müllerian inhibiting substance levels at the time of HCG administration in IVF cycles predict both ovarian reserve and embryo morphology. Hum Reprod 21: 159–163.
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.
Téllez-Rojo MM, Hernández-Avila M, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Smith D, Hernández-Cadena L, Mercado A, Aro A, Schwartz J, Hu H (2004). Impact of bone lead and bone resorption on plasma and whole blood lead levels during pregnancy. Am J Epidemiol 160: 668–678.
Westwood FR (2008). The female rat reproductive cycle: a practical histological guide to staging, published online. Toxicol Pathol 36: 375–384.
Wide M (1985). Lead exposure on critical days of fetal life affects fertility in the female mouse. Teratology 32: 375–380.
Wiebe JP, Barr KJ, Buckingham KD (1988). Effect of prenatal and neonatal exposure to lead on gonadotropin receptors and steroidogenesis in rat ovaries. J Toxicol Env Heal A 24: 461– 476.