This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kumar, P Articles by Dutta, K K Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kumar, P Articles by Dutta, K K Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Steroidogenic alterations in testes and sera of rats exposed to trichioroethylene (TCE) by inhalation

A K Prasad

K K Dutta

Inhalation ToxicologyLaboratoryandAnimalHouse (Gheru Campus), Industrial ToxicologyResearch Centre, P.O. Box 80, MG Marg, Lucknow-226001 (UP) India

1. 1 Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an organic unsaturated solvent used in dry cleaning, metal degreasing, thinner for paints/varnishes, anaesthetic agents etc. Human beings are considerably exposed to TCE vapours by inhalation route.
   
2. 2 TCE has been reported to induce spontaneous abor- tions and congenital cardiac malformation in occupa- tionally exposed women. However, scanty on-line information is available regarding toxic effects of TCE on male reproductive efficiency in experimental animals.
   
3. 3 Our earlier observations with TCE inhalation in male rats (376 p.p.m., 4 h/day, 5 days a week) for 12 and 24 weeks using whole body dynamic inhalation chamber consistently showed significant decrease (P< 0.05) in total epididymal sperm count and sperm motility. The mating experiments of above TCE inhaled rats with virgin unexposed females showed significantly de- creased fertility.
   
4. 4 These observations prompted us to investigate whether or not primary testicular steroidal precursors (choles- terol and ascorbic acid) and testosterone have any role in TCE induced significantly decreased epididymal sperm count, sperm motility and overall male repro- ductive inefficiency resulting therefrom.
   
5. 5 The results indicate significant decrease (P< 0.05) in total epididymal sperm count, sperm motility, specific activities of enzymes Glucose 6-p dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 17,B hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (1 7fHSD) with concomitant decrease in serum testos- terone concentrations in TCE inhaled rats showing reduced male reproductive efficiency. There was net accumulation in total cholesterol contents in testes of TCE exposed rats.
   
6. 6 The findings in the present study indicate possible impairment of testosterone biosynthesis in TCE in- haled rats after 12 and 24 weeks. These findings also serve in parts to elucidate the mechanism of repro- ductive inefficiency in TCE exposed rats. The role of testosterone in this phenomenon is being reported for the first time.
   

Key Words: trichloroethylene • inhalation • testes • testosterone; rat • 17 B-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenas

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 19, No. 2, 117-121 (2000)
DOI: 10.1191/096032700678815657


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Xu, N. Tanphaichitr, P.-G. Forkert, A. Anupriwan, W. Weerachatyanukul, R. Vincent, A. Leader, and M. G. Wade Exposure to Trichloroethylene and its Metabolites Causes Impairment of Sperm Fertilizing Ability in Mice Toxicol. Sci., December 1, 2004; 82(2): 590 - 597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. B. DuTeaux, M. J. Hengel, D. E. DeGroot, K. A. Jelks, and M. G. Miller Evidence for Trichloroethylene Bioactivation and Adduct Formation in the Rat Epididymis and Efferent Ducts Biol Reprod, September 1, 2003; 69(3): 771 - 779. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U Mani, F Islam, A K Prasad, P Kumar, V S. Kumar, B K Maji, and K K Dutta Steroidogenic alterations in testes and sera of rats exposed to formulated Fenvalerate by inhalation Human and Experimental Toxicology, November 1, 2002; 21(11): 593 - 597. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P Kumar, A K Prasad, U Mani, B K Maji, and K K Dutta Trichloroethylene induced testicular toxicity in rats exposed by inhalation Human and Experimental Toxicology, November 1, 2001; 20(11): 585 - 589. [Abstract] [PDF]