Low-dose bisphenol A does not affect reproductive organs in estrogen-sensitive C57BL/6N mice exposed at the sexually mature, juvenile, or embryonic stage.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is used on a large scale in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics. BPA has been shown to bind weakly to both estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and ER beta. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-dose BPA on male sexual development after exposure at various stages of development. Mice of the estrogen-sensitive strain C57BL/6N were exposed to BPA orally at doses of 2, 20, or 200 microg/kg at various stages, i.e. adulthood, the immature stage just after weaning, or the embryonic/fetal stage, to evaluate the effects of low-dose BPA on male reproductive organs. Body weight changes, weights of reproductive organs (testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles), cauda epididymal sperm density, and histology of reproductive organs including the ventral prostate were not affected by exposure to BPA at any dose examined. The results of this study indicate that exposure of estrogen-sensitive C57BL/6N mice to low-dose BPA did not reduce sperm density or disrupt development of the male reproductive organs.
Nagao
Tetsuji
T
Department of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hatano Research Institute, Food and Drug Safety Center, Kanagawa 257, Japan. nagaot@kb3.so-net.ne.jp
Saito
Yoshiaki
Y
Usumi
Kenji
K
Yoshimura
Shinsuke
S
Ono
Hiroshi
H
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013076:Sperm Count; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004958:Estradiol; D004967:Estrogens; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds