title: Maternal LPS exposure during pregnancy impairs testicular development, steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in male offspring.
abstract: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is associated with adverse developmental outcomes including embryonic resorption, fetal death, congenital teratogenesis and fetal growth retardation. Here, we explored the effects of maternal LPS exposure during pregnancy on testicular development, steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in male offspring. The pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (50 µg/kg) daily from gestational day (GD) 13 to GD 17. At fetal period, a significant decrease in body weight and abnormal Leydig cell aggregations were observed in males whose mothers were exposed to LPS during pregnancy. At postnatal day (PND) 26, anogenital distance (AGD), a sensitive index of altered androgen action, was markedly reduced in male pups whose mothers were exposed to LPS daily from GD13 to GD 17. At PND35, the weight of testes, prostates and seminal vesicles, and serum testosterone (T) level were significantly decreased in LPS-treated male pups. At adulthood, the number of sperm was significantly decreased in male offspring whose mothers were exposed to LPS on GD 13-17. Maternal LPS exposure during gestation obviously diminished the percent of seminiferous tubules in stages I-VI, increased the percent of seminiferous tubules in stages IX-XII, and caused massive sloughing of germ cells in seminiferous tubules in mouse testes. Moreover, maternal LPS exposure significantly reduced serum T level in male mice whose mothers were exposed to LPS challenge during pregnancy. Taken together, these results suggest that maternal LPS exposure during pregnancy disrupts T production. The decreased T synthesis might be associated with LPS-induced impairments for spermatogenesis in male offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Lu-Lu
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Bi-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yin-Yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: De-Xiang
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone