title: Effects of perinatal combined exposure to 1,4-dichlorobenzene and 1,1-dichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene on rat male offspring.
abstract: 1,4-Dichlorobenzene (DCB) is used as an air deodorant or a moth repellent and 1, 1-dichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p,p'-DDE) is a persistent metabolite of 1, 1, 1-trichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethane (DDT) which was used as a pesticide before. DCB concentrations of residential air and oral p,p'-DDE intake through marine products are demonstrated to be very high in Japan and consequently, foetuses and neonates may be exposed much more to DCB and/or p,p'-DDE via the maternal body. It has recently been reported that DCB is oestrogenic and that p,p'-DDE is antiandrogenic. Therefore, the combined effects of perinatal exposure to DCB and p,p'-DDE have been investigated in rat male offspring of dams ingesting these contaminants during the perinatal period from gestational day 1 to postpartum day 21 for 42 days. In this study, no obvious developmental effects on male offspring have been recognized until 6 weeks of age, following oral administration of 25 ppm DCB (approximately 2 mg/kg) and/or 125 ppm p,p'-DDE (approximately 10 mg/kg) to dams. In contrast to female offspring, the thymus weight in male offspring was not affected by DCB at 6 weeks of age, but there might be sexual differences concerning the effects of DCB on the thymus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. ymakita@eisei.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Makita
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002722:Chlorobenzenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002722:Chlorobenzenes; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D013739:Testosterone; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C018511:4-dichlorobenzene