Reproductive toxicity associated with acrylamide treatment in male and female rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the influence of acrylamide (ACR) on male and female reproductive function. Male rats received ACR in drinking water (50, 100, or 200 ppm) for up to 10 wk. Copulatory behavior, semen, and (for controls and 100 ppm only) fertility and fetal outcomes were evaluated. Females received ACR (25, 50, 100 ppm) for 2 wk prior to initiation of breeding and then throughout gestation and lactation. Hindlimb splaying was apparent in the 200-ppm males by wk 4; less severe splaying appeared in the 100-ppm group at wk 8. Disruptions in copulatory behavior preceded the appearance of this ataxia. These disruptions in mating performance interfered with ejaculatory processes and subsequent transport of sperm, since semen was found in the uterus of only 1 of the 15 females mated with the 100-ppm males at wk 9. Moreover, only 33% of the females mated (wk 10) to the 100-ppm males were pregnant. Postimplantation loss was also significantly increased in this group. Hindlimb splaying appeared in the females receiving 100 ppm ACR during wk 1-2 of pregnancy. Body weight and fluid intake were also depressed. Dams in the 50-ppm group showed depression in these parameters during the last 2 wk of lactation. ACR did not significantly affect mating performance of the females, pregnancy rates, litter size, or survival. However, ACR did significantly depress pup body weight at birth (100-ppm group) and weight gain during lactation through post-weaning, d 42 (50- and 100-ppm groups). Vaginal patency was delayed in the 100-ppm group only.

Pathological assessment of the nervous and male reproductive systems of rat offspring exposed maternally to acrylamide during the gestation and lactation periods - a preliminary study

“…A decrease of pup body weight has been previously reported in rats and mice with gestational exposure to ACR (Zenick et al, 1986;Field et al, 1990;Wise et al, 1995), and such weight decrease has been proven to be a sensitive indicator of developmental ACR-toxicity, because it is apparent at dose levels lower than that producing maternal neurotoxicity (Wise et al, 1995). This latter finding was also the case in the present study, suggesting that the decrease of pup body weight shortly after birth was caused by developmental effects of ACR administered during gestation.…”

“…Since reduced body weight gain concomitant with reduced food and water consumption was apparent here, particularly in the later stages of the experimental period, it can be considered that the advanced neurotoxicity due to ACR led to maternal malnutrition. ACR did not affect the gestation period, number of implantations, live birth ratio and male pup ratio, as in the report by Zenick et al (Zenick et al, 1986). Although inability to deliver was observed in one dam at 200 ppm, it was unclear whether 11.3 ± 3.8 11.3 ± 1.2 12.3 ± 2.5 12.7 ± 1.2 No.…”

“…The potential for exposure to ACR through human milk has been demonstrated in a study conducted with two women (Sörgel et al, 2002). It is evident that ACR is a developmental toxicant in rodents, because suppression of offspring body weight results from maternal exposure (Zenick et al, 1986;Field et al, 1990;Wise et al, 1995;Garey et al, 2005). Furthermore, it has been reported that ACR can produce developmental neurotoxicity, such as decreased motor activity and auditory startle responses in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat offspring, at a maternal gavage dose of 15 mg/kg body weight/day, a daily dose level that can cause neurotoxicity to maternal animals (Wise et al, 1995).…”

Toxicity of acrylamide and evaluation of its exposure in baby foods

“…Several studies have clarified that some of the neurotoxic effects of acrylamide in rats are a weakness of the hind-limbs, reduced hind-limb grip strength, and increased foot splay (62,63,65) . This reduced hind-limb function could cause impairment in mounting responses, copulatory behaviour, and intromission (entry) (58) . Dysfunctional intromission could also have an impact on the proper deposition of sperm in the vagina and uterus and subsequent hormonal events that cause the stimulation of reproductive hormones and implantation.…”

“…(2010) (57) 5-to 30-week-old intact male C57Bl/6J mice fed with low-and high-energy diets Acrylamide potentiated the repoductive toxicity induced by obesity in obese rats Reproductive toxicity of acrylamide Zenick et al (1986) (58) Male rats received acrylamide in drinking water (50, 100, or 200 ppm) for up to 10 weeks. Copulatory behaviour, semen, and (for controls and 100 ppm only) fertility and fetal outcomes were evaluated.…”