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Newly hatched F1 nymphs of Aiolopus thalassinus (Fabr.) were fed on food treated with various concentrations of HgCl2, CdCl2, and PbCl2 until the end of adult life. Toxicological observations were followed in the F1 generation and in the F2 generation derived from the heavy metal-loaded F1 parents. The highest concentration of the heavy metal caused 100% mortality of the F1 adults within four weeks. The nymphal duration of the F1 and F2 generations was significantly prolonged after Hg and Cd exposure, but the F1 of the group treated with lead was not affected. The fresh body weight of adults was significantly reduced in the F1 generation of most treatments and in the resulting untreated F2. The lifespan of the F1 adults was shortened. In the F2 generation, although the lifespan was somewhat longer, generally it was still shorter than that of the control adults. The mean egg number laid by F1 adults fed on food contaminated with Hg or Cd was decreased. This decrease was more pronounced in the case of Cd than Hg. In the females fed on food treated with Pb the reduction of the number of egg pods was not remarkable. The hatchability of the eggs laid by F1 females was significantly reduced as compared to the control. The viability of the eggs laid by F2 adults was somewhat decreased due to either a reduced number of egg pods or to a lower rate of hatchability, especially in the case of Cd. The treated adults frequently displayed weakness in their legs, difficulties in walking, tremors, and nervous movements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Background: Estrogen hormone and receptors (ER) play an important role in maintaining vaginal health. Therefore, their disruption may adversely affect vaginal structure and function. Limited studies are available investigating the effects of diabetic complications on ER expression and distribution in the vaginal wall. Aim of the Work: This work aimed to study the effects of diabetes-induced changes on the vaginal structure, the expression of ERα as well as to determine whether the supplementation of estradiol can ameliorate these changes or not. Material and Methods: Thirty female albino rats were divided into 3 equal groups, 10 rats each. The first was the control received the vehicle only, the second was the diabetics, received a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150mg/kg), and the third was diabetic/estradiol treated. Eight week-diabetic animals were injected subcutaneously with estradiol 20μg/kg/day dissolved in peanut oil for 8 weeks. By the age of 16 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, blood samples were collected to estimate the serum estradiol level and the vagina was removed and processed for paraffin sections at 5μm thick. For routine histopathological assessment H and E was used. Masson's trichrome used for collagen fibers and estrogen immunoperoxidase stains for ERα. Results: Diabetic rats showed highly significant decline in the serum estradiol level (19.6 ± 8.4 pcg/ml) compared to the controls (126.6 ± 7.6 pcg/ml). Histopathological examination revealed thinning of the vaginal epithelial layers, increase in the collagen deposition in the submucosa, marked atrophy in the muscularis layer and decrease in ERα immunostaining. Treatment of diabetic animals with estradiol for eight weeks led to its increase to a sub-physiological level (35.1 ± 5.7pcg/ml) and marked hypertrophy of the muscularis layer and re-stratification of the vaginal epithelium. Moreover, there was marked reduction in the nuclear and cytoplasmic ERα immunostaining in the epithelium and increase in its expression in the stroma of the lamina propria and in the muscularis layer as compared to the control group. Conclusion: Diabetes-induced structural changes in the vagina may be a consequence of decreased levels of estrogen. The increase in the estradiol level, even at a sub-physiologic level, can ameliorate these atrophic effects.