title: Intrauterine bisphenol A exposure leads to stimulatory effects on Sertoli cell number in rats.
abstract: Using the optical disector for quantifying cell numbers, we investigated whether oral treatment of rats on days 6-21 of gestation with the weakly estrogenic bisphenol A (BPA, 0.1 or 50 mg/kg) or the highly estrogenic ethinyl estradiol (EE, 0.02 mg/kg) alters testicular histology, in those offspring 9-12 month of age. Since production of male germ cells depends on Sertoli cell number, possible changes in that parameter were investigated using unbiased stereology. Spermatogenesis was qualitatively normal in all groups. BPA increases Sertoli cell number per organ but not when expressed as per gram testis. EE did not affect cell number per organ but did affect numbers on a per gram testis basis due to a lowered testis weight. In contrast to the lowering of Sertoli cell numbers that might have been expected according to the estrogen hypothesis, intrauterine administration of these xenoestrogens in fact resulted in minor increases in Sertoli cell numbers and had no qualitative effect on spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive Medicine of the University, Domagkstrasse11, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wistuba
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Brinkworth
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlatt
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chahoud
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nieschlag
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D010636:Phenols; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds