Effects of prenatal exposure to di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on semen quality and sperm functioning in male rats

• Main Authors: Shu-Mei Yang, 楊舒媄
• Other Authors: Yueliang-Leon Guo
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/42952463025650933043

碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 環境醫學研究所 === 93 === 　　Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used rather commonly in a variety of polyvinyl chloride-based consumable products. Previous studies have reported that DEHP exposure during the perinatal to puberty could adversely affect the reproductive development of male rodents. They included reduced anogenital distance on postnatal day 1, increased incidence of nipple retention, abnormal spermatogenesis, and decreased sperm number in an anti-androgenic manner. The present study was designed to explore whether prenatally DEHP exposure affected profoundly anogenital distance development or sperm function. We gavaged pregnant rat on gestation day 11 to 20 with 1.6ml corn oil, 100, or 500 mg DEHP/kg bw/day, and subsequently recorded male offspring body weight and AGD weekly until sacrificed. Sperm count, motility, movement track and in vitro penetration assay were also studied on postnatal day 84-90. We found that treated male rats at 500 mg DEHP/kg bw/day showed a reduced anogenital distance trend, and decreased motile sperm number and percentage of penetrated oocyte in vitro. However, sperm motility and motion were not different with control. Therefore, we conclude that not only sperm count and motile sperm number in adulthood were decreased, but the capability of sperm penetrating zona-intact oocyte was impaired by prenatally DEHP exposure.