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Testicular abnormalities in male rats after lactational exposure to nonylphenols

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Abstract

Lactational exposure of male rat pups to nonylphenols (NPs) decreased the size of their testes and male accessory glands. At 31 d of age, NP-treatment of male rats resulted in less cellular differentiation of the seminiferous tubules (STs) and increased intertublar space compared to controls. At maturity, NP-treated males showed varying degrees of abnormalities in the affected testees. In the moderately affected ones, about 20–30% of their STs had poorly differentiated germinal elements. Cell lineagewas less organized. In extreme cases, all STs of the affected testis failed to differentiated into germinal elements. These abnormalities in germinal element differentiation might be the primary cause for a number of the NP-treated males having a lower epididymal sperm count and a lower percentage of motile sperm compared to age-matched control males. Zymogram analysis of testis homogenates by sodium dodecyl sulfate gelatin gels revealed two major forms (64–66 kDa and 50–52 kDa) of gelatinases. Only the 50–52-kDa form was greatly reduced or absent in the affected testis. Lactational exposure of male pups to NPs thus leads to various testicular abnormalities including lack of differenctialtion of Sts, lowering of sperm count, and reduction in the percentage of motile sperm and modulation of a specific form of testicular proteinases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

    Ping C. Lee

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, MACC Fund Research Center, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI

    Ping C. Lee, Paul Arndt & Katherine C. Nickels

Authors
  1. Ping C. Lee
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  2. Paul Arndt
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  3. Katherine C. Nickels
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Correspondence to Ping C. Lee.

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Lee, P.C., Arndt, P. & Nickels, K.C. Testicular abnormalities in male rats after lactational exposure to nonylphenols. Endocr 11, 61–68 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:11:1:61

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:11:1:61

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