[Experimental studies on male reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A in vitro and vivo].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of Bisphenol A in adult rats and its possible mechanisms.


METHODS
BPA (in corn oil) was administered orally to 9-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for 14 days (0, 1 and 5 g/kg bw), and incubated primary Sertoli cells from pubertal SD rats with 0, 10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L BPA.


RESULTS
After oral administration, a significant decrease in right testis weight was observed in 5 g/kg dose group, but not in the 1 g/kg bw dose group. Germ cells were detached from basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cells in BPA-treated groups. Administration of BPA at 1 g/kg bw and 5 g/kg bw produced both nucleus pycnosis and vacuolized nucleus in germ cells and Sertoli cells. A marked loss in vimentin staining in Sertoli cells from testis of BPA-treated rats was detected. No change in levels of serum estradiol and testosterone was observed after two-week exposure to BPA. In Sertoli cell primary culture, BPA destroyed the cytoskeleton and cell-cell junctions, and elongated Sertoli cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that BPA may injure reproductive function of male rats by destroying the cytoskeleton and changing the form of Sertoli cells.
Deng
Mao-xian
MX
Institute of Genetics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Wu
De-sheng
DS
Chen
Xiang-gui
XG
Zhang
Li-shi
LS
Xu
Pei-yu
PY
D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D010636:Phenols; D014746:Vimentin; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds