title: The effects of in utero and lactational exposure to chloroform on postnatal growth and glucose tolerance in male Wistar rats.
abstract: Water chlorination results in the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) including chloroform. In human stud-ies, fetal growth restriction has been associated with exposure to THMs during pregnancy and impaired fetal growth has been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of in utero and lactational exposure to chloroform on birthweight and postnatal indicators of type 2 diabetes. Female Wistar rats were given chloroform (0 microg/L, 75 microg/L) in their drinking water for 2 wk prior to mating until parturition (in utero exposure only) or until weaning (in utero+lactational exposure). At postnatal d 1 (PND1) pups of dams exposed to chloroform had significantly higher serum glucose levels and lower insulin levels, but this effect was not due to b<FONT "Optima">-cell depletion in the neonatal pancreas. Glucose homeostasis in response to a glucose challenge was not changed by chloroform treatment. Chloroform exposure did not affect birthweight; however, offspring of dams exposed to chloroform had significantly impaired postnatal growth. Although fetal and neonatal exposure to chloroform did not elicit physiological changes associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes, there were physiological changes resulting in impaired postnatal growth.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biology Division, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, RM HSC 3N52, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5.
authors.forename: Gareth E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sandra I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Stals
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Petrik
authors.forename: Warren G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Alison C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Holloway
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002725:Chloroform / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D012997:Solvents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002725:Chloroform