title: Ovulatory response of chlordecone (Kepone)-exposed mice to exogenous gonadotropins.
abstract: The present study assessed the ability of the murine ovary to ovulate in response to exogenous gonadotropins following exposure to an estrogenic pesticide chlordecone (Kepone). Sexually mature virgin female CD-1 mice were exposed by oral gavage to either 0.062 mg, 0.125 mg or 0.25 mg (2, 4 or 8 mg/kg, respectively) chlordecone for 5 consecutive days for 2, 4, or 6 weeks. Control groups received either 0.1 mg estradiol-17 beta (E-17 beta) or the sesame oil vehicle for the same period. During the final week of exposure all experimental and control animals were treated with a superovulatory regimen of PMSG and hCG. The results revealed that the lower 2 chlordecone doses (0.062 and 0.125 mg) had highly variable effects on the ovulatory responses. The highest chlordecone dose (0.25 mg), however, produced a significant and progressive decrease in the ovulatory responses when compared to both E-17 beta and vehicle controls. Since ovulation was progressively impeded in mice exposed to 0.25 mg chlordecone, this high chemical dose may have exerted a direct effect on the ovary since sufficient exogenous gonadotropins were available to stimulate ovulation.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112-1393.
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Swartz
authors: V P
authors: VP
authors: Eroschenko
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Schutzmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007631:Chlordecone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006062:Gonadotropins; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D007306:Insecticides; D004958:Estradiol; D007631:Chlordecone