title: Effects of environmental endocrine disruptors, including insecticides used for malaria vector control on reproductive parameters of male rats.
abstract: The male reproductive system is sensitive to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during critical developmental windows. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed in utero-, during lactation- and directly to 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT), 1,1,-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) and a mixture of DDT, deltamethrin (DM), p-nonylphenol (p-NP) and phytoestrogens, at concentrations found in a malaria-area. After dosing for 104 days, histological assessments and reproductive-endpoints were assessed. The anogenital distance (AGD) (P=0.005) was shorter in the mixture-exposed group, while the prostate mass (P=0.018) was higher in the DDT-exposed group. A higher testicular mass and abnormal histology was observed in the DDT-(P=0.019), DDE-(P=0.047) and mixture-exposed (P<0.005) groups. This study shows that in utero-, lactational- and direct exposure to EDCs present in a malaria-area negatively affects male reproductive parameters in rats. These findings raise concerns to EDC-exposures to mothers living in malaria-areas and the reproductive health of their male offspring.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa; University of Pretoria Center for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), South Africa.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.affiliation: School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa; University of Pretoria Center for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), South Africa.
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bornman
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Annie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.affiliation: School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
authors.forename: Neville
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pitts
authors.affiliation: University of Pretoria Center for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), South Africa; Biomedical Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Vinny
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.affiliation: School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa; University of Pretoria Center for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP CSMC), South Africa. Electronic address: tiaan.dejager@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Christiaan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Jager
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003634:DDT / Q000633:toxicity; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000633:toxicity; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009032:Mosquito Control; D000072138:Mosquito Vectors; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D007306:Insecticides; D009570:Nitriles; D010636:Phenols; D011722:Pyrethrins; C017180:decamethrin; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; C025256:nonylphenol; D003634:DDT
keywords: DDE; DDT; Deltamethrin; Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals; Phytoestrogens; South Africa; p-Nonylphenol