Exposure to 1-bromopropane causes ovarian dysfunction in rats.
Although 1-bromopropane has been used in chemical and electronic industries as an alternative to ozone layer-depleting solvents, its toxicity on female reproductive organs has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of 1-bromopropane on female reproductive function in rats. Forty female Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups. Each group was exposed daily to 0, 200, 400, or 800 ppm of 1-bromopropane for eight h a day. After exposure for 7 weeks, all rats in the 800-ppm group became seriously ill and were sacrificed during the 8th week. The other dose groups were exposed for 12 weeks. In the 800-ppm group, but not in the other two exposed groups, body weight was significantly less than the control at each time point from 2 to 7 weeks after the beginning of exposure. Tests of vaginal smears showed a significant increase in the number of irregular estrous cycles with extended diestrus in the 400- and 800-ppm groups. Histopathological examination of the ovary showed a significant dose-dependent reduction of the number of normal antral follicles and a decrease in the number of normal growing follicles in the 400-ppm group. No significant change was found in plasma concentrations of LH or FSH in any group when compared with the control. Our results indicate that 1-bromopropane can induce a dose-dependent ovarian dysfunction in nonpregnant female rats associated with disruption in follicular growth process.
Yamada
Tetsuya
T
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. tetsu@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Ichihara
Gaku
G
Wang
Hailan
H
Yu
Xiaozhong
X
Maeda
Kei-ichiro
K
Tsukamura
Hiroko
H
Kamijima
Michihiro
M
Nakajima
Tamie
T
Takeuchi
Yasuhiro
Y
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D012997:Solvents; C118559:1-bromopropane