Reproductive Disturbance Caused by an S-Triazine Herbicide in Pigs

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of subacute treatment with a low dose of atrazine (1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N-(1-methylethyl), an s-triazine herbicide, on endocrine oestrus regulation in gilts. A group of nine gilts (F generation of Swedish Landrace × Large Yorkshire) were treated with 1 mg atrazine/kg body mass daily, mixed to the feed for 19 days before the onset of expected oestrus. Blood samples were obtained by cranial vena cava puncture three times daily at 3-h intervals on five post-treatment days, i.e. before and during oestrus. The serum concentration of oestradiol-17> (E ) was determined by the fluoroimmunochemical method. On Day 2 before the onset of expected oestrus, a significantly lower (P < 0.001) E concentration was measured in the serum of treated gilts (31.25 ± 1.95 and 39.32 ± 1.38 pg/mL) than in the control pigs (51.43 ± 1.29 and 68.59 ± 2.99 pg/mL). In contrast, the E concentration measured in the serum of treated animals was significantly higher (P < 0.001) on the day of the expected onset of oestrus and on the subsequent two days (35.43 ± 1.85, 53.92 ± 1.98 and 60.32 ± 2.35 pg/mL, respectively) than in the control animals (13.52 ± 1.79, 21.53 ± 1.35 and 20.05 ± 1.46 pg/mL, respectively). Insufficient serum E concentration of the treated gilts resulted in a failure of expected oestrus, as indicated also by the state of dioestrus demonstrated by histopathological examination of the uterus.

Pesticide Use and Menstrual Cycle Characteristics among Premenopausal Women in the Agricultural Health Study

“…Lindane has been shown to delay ovulation, reduce the number of corpora lutea, and disrupt the estrous cycle in animals (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). Atrazine may alter the estrous cycle and reduce ovarian weight in certain animals (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30). Both may also disrupt follicle-stimulating hormone or luteinizing hormone in animals or in vitro (16,18,(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44).…”

Pesticide Exposure and Timing of Menopause

“…Figure 1 details the questionnaires completed and the study population included in the analysis. Atrazine Antiandrogen: reduced testosterone levels in rats (49)(50)(51); progesterone: reduced progesterone levels or progesterone receptor binding in rats (52)(53)(54)(55); FSHy/LHy suppression in rats (12,50,51,53) Extended diestrus with regular cycling in pigs and rats (14,15,56,57); prolonged estrus in rats (13,54,58) Decreased ovarian weight and increased ovarian follicular cysts in rats and pigs (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) Carbaryl Unknown Prolonged estrous cycle in rats (16,18) Atrophic and necrotic effects on the ovary, disturbed enzymatic activity in the ovary, and inhibited oogenesis in rats (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) Carbon tetrachloride…”

Reduced oocyte quality and exacerbation of the maternal age effect are enduring consequences of low-level atrazine exposure in mouse

“…An important caveat to many mammalian studies is the high exposure doses that are generally employed; levels that are unlikely to be encountered in environment (Gely-Pernot et al 2017;Rayner et al 2005;Taketa et al 2011). The exceptions detected increased progesterone, decreased oestradiol-17 beta and altered estrus in sows that were exposed to just 1 or 2 mg/kg/day in feed for 19 days, raising concerns for human exposure and reproductive health (Gojmerac et al 1996(Gojmerac et al , 1999. Indeed, epidemiological studies suggest that atrazine exposure is associated with fetal growth retardation and increased birth defects, though conflicting data exist (Chevrier et al 2011;Munger et al 1997;Stayner et al 2017;Villanueva et al 2005;Wirbisky and Freeman 2015).…”