Publikationsdatenbank

A dose-response study following in utero and lactational exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP):
reproductive effects on adult female offspring rats (2007)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Grande, Simone W

Andrade, Anderson J M

Talsness, Chris E

Grote, Konstanze

Golombiewski, Andrea

Sterner-Kock, Anja

Chahoud, Ibrahim

Quelle

Toxicology

Bandzählung: 229

Heftzählung: 1/2

Seiten: 114 – 122

ISSN: 0300-483x

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

Pubmed: 17098345

Kontakt

Institut für Tierpathologie

Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62450
pathologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is used in numerous consumer products, mainly imparting flexibility and durability to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based plastics. It is a known reproductive and developmental toxicant in male rodents. However, data regarding effects of DEHP on female reproductive health are particularly sparse. We performed an extensive dose-response study following developmental exposure to DEHP and evaluated the effects on adult female reproductive function. Two wide ranges of doses, low and high, were tested. Female Wistar rats were treated daily with DEHP and peanut oil (vehicle control) by gavage from gestation day 6 to lactation day 21. The low doses were: 0.015, 0.045, 0.135, 0.405 and 1.215mgDEHP/kg/bw/day and the high doses were: 5, 15, 45, 135 and 405mg DEHP/kg/bw/day. At the doses tested, no effects on organ (liver, kidney, spleen, thymus, thyroid, ovary and uterus) or body weights were detected. Female offspring presented a normal pattern of estrous cyclicity with no hormonal alterations (serum estradiol and progesterone). A statistically significant increase in tertiary atretic follicles was observed at the highest dose (405mgDEHP/kg/day). Morphometric analysis indicated that uterus and vagina luminal epithelial cell height were unaffected by treatment. An increase in the number of ovarian atretic tertiary follicles was the only effect observed in adult female offspring exposed in utero and during lactation to DEHP.