title: Pubertal and early adult exposure to fenvalerate disrupts steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in mice at adulthood.
abstract: Fenvalerate, a pyrethroid insecticide used worldwide, has been shown to have a potentially adverse effect on male reproduction. Our earlier study showed that maternal fenvalerate exposure during lactation impaired testicular development in male offspring. In this study, we investigated the effects of pubertal and early adult exposure to fenvalerate on steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in mice. Male mice were administered fenvalerate (60 mg/kg) by gavage daily from postnatal day 35 (PND35) to PND63. Results showed that sperm count was significantly decreased in fenvalerate-treated mice. In addition, fenvalerate markedly decreased the layers of spermatogenic cells, disturbed the array of spermatogenic cells and increased the number of apoptotic cells in testes. The adverse effects of fenvalerate on male reproduction seemed to be associated with a decrease in serum and testicular testosterone (T). Although pubertal and early adult exposure to fenvalerate had little effect on the number of Leydig cells in testes, mRNA and protein levels of testicular T biosynthetic enzymes including P450(17alpha) and P450scc were significantly downregulated in fenvalerate-treated mice. In conclusion, pubertal and early adult fenvalerate exposure induces a deleterious effect on steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in adulthood. The decreased testicular T synthesis partially contributes to fenvalerate-induced impairment on spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xian-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: De-Xiang
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D009570:Nitriles; D011722:Pyrethrins; D013739:Testosterone; C017690:fenvalerate