Perinatal exposure to insecticide fipronil: effects on the reproductive system in male rats

Abstract

Fipronil is an insecticide widely used in agriculture, veterinary medicine and public health that has recently been listed as a potential endocrine disrupter. In the present study we evaluated the effects of perinatal exposure to fipronil during the period of sexual brain differentiation and its later repercussions on reproductive parameters in male rats. Pregnant rats were exposed (via gavage) to fipronil (0.03, 0.3 or 3mgkg) from Gestational Day 15 until Postnatal Day 7. Fipronil exposure did not compromise the onset of puberty. In adulthood, there was no effect on organ weight or sperm production. Furthermore, there were no adverse effects on the number of Sertoli cells per seminiferous tubule, testicular and epididymal histomorphometry or histopathology or expression patterns of androgen receptor in the testis. Similarly, no changes were observed in the sexual behaviour or hormone levels. However, in rats exposed to fipronil, changes in sperm motility were observed, with a decrease in motile spermatozoa and an increase in non-mobile spermatozoa, which can compromise sperm quality in these rats. Perinatal exposure to fipronil has long-term effects on sperm parameters, and the epididymis can be a target organ. Additional studies should be undertaken to identify the mechanisms by which fipronil affects sperm motility.

Preclinical Transplacental Transfer and Pharmacokinetics of Fipronil in Rats

“…At the same time, we put forward a different view that long-term exposure to fipronil may not lead to detection of the parent compound in the fetus, which is related to the half-life of fipronil itself (Tang et al, 2004), but in a short period of time, fipronil can still enter the fetus. Considering the developmental and reproductive toxicity of fipronil (JMPR, 1997;Udo et al, 2014;de Barros et al, 2016;de Barros et al, 2017), it still is a potential menace. In addition, the concentration distribution could be explained by the scheme of an in vivo animal model for the transplacental transfer of oseltamivir and oseltamivir carboxylic acid in our previous study (Lin et al, 2012).…”

“…In the reproductive system of male rats, perinatal fipronil exposure changes sperm motility by decreasing motile spermatozoa and increasing nonmobile spermatozoa, indicating that the epididymis may be a target organ of fipronil (de Barros et al, 2017). In addition, fipronil can cause thyroid disruption (Leghait et al, 2009;Herin et al, 2011;Roques et al, 2012) and thyroxine is closely related to brain maturation (Bernal, 2007;Anderson, 2008) and nerve development during fetal growth (Cuevas et al, 2005).…”

Ameliorative Effects of Boswellic Acid on Fipronil-Induced Toxicity: Antioxidant State, Apoptotic Markers, and Testicular Steroidogenic Expression in Male Rats

“…These results agree with Mazzo, Balieira, Bizerra, and Mingatto [ 6 ], who reported that FPN-induced harmful impacts on sperm quality. Sperm motility is impaired by FPN’s long-term exposure [ 11 ]. In addition, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) exceeds the cellular capability, leads to oxidative damage, and reduces sperm viability and fertility [ 1 ].…”

“…In addition, Eisa et al [ 5 ] reported that rats treated with different doses of fipronil 1/10 LD50 (2.1 mg/kg bwt) and 1/30 LD50 (0.7 mg/kg bwt) at the 6th to 15th days of pregnancy lead to teratogenic and embryotoxic effects. De Barros et al [ 11 ] reported that pregnant rats exposed (via gavage) to fipronil (0.03, 0.3, or 3 mg/kg) from gestational day 15 until postnatal day 7 had infertility. In addition, Kitulagodage et al [ 12 ] breeding female zebra finches orally dosed with single sublethal levels of fipronil (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg body weight) had a decrease in hatchability percentage.…”

Bee Pollen Alleviates Fipronil and Emamectin Benzoate Induced- Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats

“…Fipronil, a neurotoxic insecticide, is a potent gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA) gated chloride channel inhibitor and possesses a favorable selective toxicity towards insects rather than mammals (Stanley et al, 2012). Besides being a neurotoxic agent, FIP exerts hepato-renal (Mossa et al, 2015), development (de Barros et al, 2016), reproductive (de Barros et al, 2017), mutagenic (de Oliveira et al, 2012) and carcinogenic (Jackson et al, 2009) effects.…”