title: Gestational atrazine exposure: effects on male reproductive development and metabolite distribution in the dam, fetus, and neonate.
abstract: Few studies have investigated the long-term effects of atrazine (ATR) following in utero exposure. We evaluated the effects of gestational exposure of Sprague Dawley dams to ATR (0, 1, 5, 20, or 100mg/kg-d) on the reproductive development of male offspring. We also quantified the distribution of ATR and its chlorinated metabolites in maternal, fetal, and neonatal fluid and tissue samples following gestational and/or lactational exposure. Dose-dependent levels of chlorotriazines, primarily diamino-s-chlorotriazine, were present in most samples analyzed, including fetal tissue. In utero exposure to 1-20mg/kg-d ATR did not alter testosterone production, the timing of puberty, play behavior, or other androgen-dependent endpoints of male offspring. Significant maternal toxicity and postnatal mortality were observed at 100mg/kg-d. We conclude that, although levels of chlorotriazines within the fetus were considerable, gestational exposures of 1-20mg/kg-d do not lead to alterations in the measures of male development examined in this study.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Toxicology Branch, Toxicity Assessment Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States.
authors.forename: Melanie J P
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fraites
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Narotsky
authors.forename: Deborah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Tammy E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Stoker
authors.forename: Lori K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Jerome M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Michelle G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hotchkiss
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Klinefelter
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: Yaorong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Podhorniak
authors.forename: Ralph L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001280:Atrazine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D006540:Herbicides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D013739:Testosterone; D001280:Atrazine