Lead acetate induced reproductive and paternal mediated developmental toxicity in rats.
Lead was administered orally to adult male rats at exposure level of 273 or 819 mg/L (0.05% or 0.15% lead acetate, respectively) for 45 days via drinking water. At the end of the exposure period, control and experimental males were mated with untreated females. Of the females mated with treated males, 73.3% in the 0.05% group and 53.33% in the 0.15% group showed copulatory plugs. Significant decrease in number of implantations and pre- and post-implantation loss was also observed in females mated with treated males. Significant decrease in the weight of the reproductive organs, reduction in epididymal sperm count, motile sperm and viable sperm were observed in lead-exposed rats indicating decreased sperm production and deteriorated sperm quality. Significant decrease in serum testosterone levels were also observed in treated rats indicating decreased steroidogenesis. The decreased serum testosterone levels and deteriorated sperm quality might be responsible for the suppressed reproduction in rats after exposure to lead.
Department of Biotechnology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502, Andhra Pradesh, India.
M Reshma
MR
Anjum
S B
SB
Sainath
Y
Y
Suneetha
P Sreenivasula
PS
Reddy
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D013739:Testosterone; C008261:lead acetate