title: Alterations in male rats following in utero exposure to betamethasone suggests changes in reproductive programming.
abstract: Antenatal betamethasone is used for accelerating fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth. Altered sperm parameters were reported in adult rats after intrauterine exposure to betamethasone. In this study, male rat offspring were assessed for reproductive development after dam exposure to betamethasone (0.1mg/kg) or vehicle on Days 12, 13, 18 and 19 of pregnancy. The treatment resulted in reduction in the offspring body weight, delay in preputial separation, decreased seminal vesicle weight, testosterone levels and fertility, and increased testicular weight. In the testis, morphologically abnormal seminiferous tubules were observed, characterized by an irregular cell distribution with Sertoli cell that were displaced towards the tubular lumen. These cells expressed both Connexin 43 (Cx43) and Proliferative Nuclear Cell Antigen (PCNA). In conclusion, intrauterine betamethasone treatment appears to promote reproductive programming and impairment of rat sexual development and fertility due to, at least in part, unusual testicular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: cibelesantosborges@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cibele S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Flávia M G
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josiane Lima
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marciana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanabria
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Reproductive Toxicology, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, University of Quebec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Québec, Canada, H7V 1B7.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Reproductive Toxicology, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, University of Quebec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Québec, Canada, H7V 1B7.
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cyr
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Univ Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Junior s/n°, 18618-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wilma
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De G Kempinas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000633:toxicity*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D046468:Sexual Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; C580592:Gja1 protein, rat; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D001623:Betamethasone
keywords: Betamethasone; Fertility; Reproductive programming; Sertoli cell; Sexual development; Testis