title: Changes in testicular morphology and steroidogenesis in adult rats exposed to Atrazine.
abstract: Atrazine is an herbicide considered as a potent endocrine disruptor, causing adverse effects on both gender of mammalian and non-mammalian species. Despite the known adverse effects of Atrazine, little is known about its action on male genital system, especially in adults. We evaluated the effects of Atrazine (50 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) in the 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) expression, plasmatic and testicular estrogen and testosterone levels, androgen receptor expression and morphological changes in adult rat testes. Atrazine at doses higher than 50 mg/kg resulted in decreased body weight, increased adrenal weight and transient increase in testis weight, followed by testis atrophy. A reduction in testosterone but increase in estradiol levels was observed. We showed for the first time that testicular 3beta-HSD protein was decreased, whereas in the adrenal it was unchanged. The results suggest that 3beta-HSD inhibition may represent an alternative mechanism through which Atrazine affects the testicular androgenesis, leading to changes in spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anna Bolivar
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Victor-Costa
authors.forename: Simone Miranda Carozzi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bandeira
authors.forename: André Gustavo
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Germán Arturo Bohórquez
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mahecha
authors.forename: Cleida Aparecida
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001280:Atrazine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D000728:Androgens; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D006540:Herbicides; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; C044256:3 (or 17)-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; D001280:Atrazine