Effect of maternal exposure to bisphenol A during pregnancy on reproductive development in F1 male rats

ObjectiveTo observe the growth and development of F1 male fetus and changes in reproductive organs of the rats after maternal exposure to bisphenol A(BPA)and to explore the effect of maternal exposure to BPA during pregnancy on the reproductive development in F1 male rats.MethodsForty pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomed into 4 groups,including vehicle control(corn oil)and BPA treatment groups(10,50,and 250 mg/kg,respectively)with the volume of 2 ml/kg.The rats were gavaged once a day from the 5th day to the 20th day during pregnancy.Five rats in each group were anesthetized on the 21st day.Maternal sex hormone in serum,fetal number,dead fetus number,fetal weight,and placental weight were determined.BPA level in blood and placenta of the mother rats was detected with high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method.Ther rats delivered naturally by the other 5 rats in each group were feeded untill sexual maturity.The concentration of sex hormone in serum of F1 male rats as well as organ coefficients of reproductive organ,histopathological changes,and sperm quality were measured.ResultsEstradiol(E₂)level in serum of mother rats in 10 and 50 mg/kg dosage groups were 1 780.78 and 1 680.10 pmol/L,significantly higher than that of the control group(1 361.74 pmol/L) (P<0.05).The testosterone level in three treatment groups were 5.55,4.76,and 6.79 nmol/L and were significantly different compared with that of the control group(3.20nmol/L)(P<0.05).The epididymis and prostate organ coefficients of the male offsprings of 50 and 250 mg/kg exposure groups were 0.297,0.325 and 0.153,0.173,higher than those of the control group (0.253 and 0.113)with significant differences(P<0.05 for all).There was hyperplasia change in epididymis interstitium and prostatic intraepithelia.The sperm motility rate of 250 mg/kg dose group was 52.9%,significantly lower than that of the control group(67.4%,P<0.05).ConclusionThe administration of BPA to female rats during pregnancy does not affect fetal development,but interferes with the development of reproductive organ and sperm quality of F1 male rats.