title: Developmental exposure to diuron causes splenotoxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rat pups.
abstract: This study investigated whether perinatal exposure to diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-1-dimethylurea] might exert adverse effects on rat lymphoid organs. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to diuron at 500, 750 or 1250 ppm in the diet from gestational days (GD) 12-21 and during lactation. At postnatal day (PND) 42, male pups were euthanized and thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph node and femur were collected for histopathological analysis. Food consumption and body weight gain were significantly reduced in dams exposed to 1250 ppm during gestation period. Also, Diuron at 750 and 1250 ppm produced: (1) increased relative spleen weight associated histologically with severe congestion in red pulp, (2) enhanced extramedullary hematopoiesis and hemosiderosis as well as (3) depletion of lymphoid follicles in white pulp. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a significant reduction in B lymphocytes (CD45RA+) in male pups but T lymphocytes (CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+) were not markedly affected. Thus, data suggest that Diuron-induced maternal toxicity in dams exposed to high dose and perinatal exposure to this herbicide produced spleen toxicity as evidenced by a reduction in B lymphocyte number in male SD pups.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.forename: Tony F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: Ana L T
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Spinardi-Barbisan
authors.forename: Luís F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Barbisan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D001835:Body Weight; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D004237:Diuron / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013045:Species Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004237:Diuron