Effects of prenatal exposure to a low dose atrazine metabolite mixture on pubertal timing and prostate development of male Long-Evans rats

Abstract

The present study examines the postnatal reproductive development of male rats following prenatal exposure to an atrazine metabolite mixture (AMM) consisting of the herbicide atrazine and its environmental metabolites diaminochlorotriazine, hydroxyatrazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine. Pregnant Long Evans rats were treated by gavage with 0.09, 0.87, or 8.73 mg AMM/kg body weight (BW), vehicle, or 100 mg ATR/kg BW positive control, on gestation days 15-19. Preputial separation was significantly delayed in 0.87 mg and 8.73 mg AMM-exposed males. AMM-exposed males demonstrated a significant treatment-related increase in incidence and severity of inflammation in the prostate on postnatal day (PND) 120. A dose-dependent increase in epididymal fat masses and prostate foci were grossly visible in AMM-exposed offspring. These results indicate that a short, late prenatal exposure to mixture of chlorotriazine metabolites can cause chronic prostatitis in male LE rats. The mode of action for these effects is presently unclear.

Effects of Endocrine Disrupters on Immune Function and Inflammation

“…For example, Rayner et al [14] reported that early life exposure of Wistar rats to atrazine increased the incidence of specific prostate inflammation in the adult. Similar results with adult male prostate inflammation in Long-Evans rats were obtained by Stanko et al [15] following late-gestational exposure to an atrazine metabolite mixture.…”

Developmental Exposure to Atrazine Impairs Spatial Memory and Downregulates the Hippocampal D1 Dopamine Receptor and cAMP-Dependent Signaling Pathway in Rats

“…Experimental evidence obtained from animal studies demonstrated that ATR could be an endocrine disrupter, which influences hormone production and, subsequently, reproduction [3,4,5,6,7]. As hormones play a major role in the development of the central nervous system (CNS), recent research has suggested that ATR is a dopaminergic system toxicant.…”

Prenatal exposure to low doses of atrazine affects mating behaviors in male guppies

“…Shenoy (2012) showed that long-term exposure of adult male guppies to atrazine altered mating behaviors, which is possibly an activational effect. The effects of atrazine-exposure during early life stages have been studied on various end-points at later life stages, such as immunocompetence Rowe et al, 2006), development of reproductive tract (Stanko et al, 2010), survival, desiccation risk, and moisture-regulating behaviors Palmer, 2005, 2013); but the link between embryonic exposure to atrazine and the development (and later manifestation) of sexual behaviors is not clear.…”