title: An environmentally relevant organochlorine mixture impairs sperm function and embryo development in the porcine model.
abstract: We evaluated the effects of an environmentally relevant mixture of more than 15 organochlorines on the development of pig oocytes and sperm during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Oocytes were cocultured with sperm in IVF medium containing increasing concentrations of an organochlorine mixture, similar to that found in women of highly exposed populations. Exposure to the organochlorine mixture diminished oocyte penetration rates and polyspermy in a linear manner. The mixture did not affect rates of cleavage nor development to multicell embryos. However, rates of development to the blastocyst stage were lower at the highest concentration at which oocyte penetration was observed. The same experiment was performed using oocytes that were preexposed during in vitro maturation. This greater exposure to the mixture also reduced penetration in a dose-response manner and affected polyspermy. Frozen-thawed pig sperm were also cultured in IVF medium containing the same organochlorine concentrations. Sperm motility parameters were immediately reduced in a dose-dependent manner by the organochlorines, followed by diminished viability 2 h later. From these results, it appears that reduced sperm quality would account for decreases in fertilization, polyspermy, and blastocyst formation. These results suggest that exposing porcine oocytes and sperm to an environmentally pertinent organochlorine mixture in vitro disrupts the oocyte block to polyspermy, sperm fertility, and further embryonic development, and supports recent concerns that such pollutants harm reproductive health in humans and other species.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction, Département de Sciences Animales, Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Pavilion Paul-Comtois, Université Laval, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada G1K 7P4.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guillemette
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paradis
authors.forename: Marc-André
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sirard
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayotte
authors.forename: Janice L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide