title: Chlorpyrifos exposure reduces reproductive capacity owing to a damaging effect on gametogenesis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Previous studies have revealed that chlorpyrifos exposure adversely affects the reproductive capacity of male rodents. The present study investigated the reproductive toxicity of chlorpyrifos exposure and possible related mechanisms using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. L4 nematode larvae were exposed to chlorpyrifos at concentrations of 0.003, 0.03, 0.3 and 3.0 mg l(-1) for different durations. In addition to decreased brood size, reduced spermatid size, increased percentage of abnormal spermatids, suppressed spermatid activation and motility of sperm, damaged oocyte morphology, increased numbers of apoptotic cells and unfertilized oocytes were observed in nematodes exposed to various concentrations of chlorpyrifos. Moreover, expression patterns of the genes spe-10, spe-15, fer-1, prg-1, glp-1, mlh-1, cyb-3, ced-3, ced-4 and ced-9 (which are associated with spermatid size, spermatid activation and morphology, oocyte morphology, oocyte function, and apoptosis) were altered after chlorpyrifos exposure. Therefore, chlorpyrifos exposure may adversely affect fertility in nematodes by influencing both spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Alterations in the expression patterns of genes involved in gametogenesis may explain the corresponding changes in gametogenesis in nematodes exposed to chlorpyrifos. Hence, the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans is recommended for assessment of reproductive toxicity relating to gametogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering in Ministry of Education, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qin-Li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Jing-Juan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Yun-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ge-Yu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yue-Pu
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Da-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004390:Chlorpyrifos / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D012098:Reproduction; D013087:Spermatids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004390:Chlorpyrifos