EFFECTS OF ARSENIC EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY ON THE REPRODUCTIVE AXIS AND FERTILITY

BIZZOZZERO M; BOURGUIGNON N; LUX-LANTOS V ; LIBERTUN C

Chascomús, Pcia. Bs Aires

Jornada; XVI Jornadas Anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biologia; 2014

Sociedad Argentina de Biologia

Inorganic arsenic (A) is a ground water contaminant with worldwide distribution. It has also been described as an endocrine disruptor. We have previously shown that animals exposed to A reduces body weights (BW), elevates serum levels of estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T), and presents glucose intolerance during pregnancy. In this study, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with sodium arsenite in drinking water: 5 (A5) or 50 (A50) ppm in distilled water or distilled water as control (C), from gestation day 1 (GD1, determined by the presence of vaginal sperm) to sacrifice (GD18) by quick decapitation. We evaluated resorption and implantation sites, the numbers of corpora lutea (CLs), ovarian (OW), placental (PW) and adrenal gland weights (AW) and ovarian content of steroid hormones. Fetal BW was recorded. No effects were found in the numbers of CLs, resorption/implantation sites or fetal BW. No differences were found on AW or PW. A50 rats have higher OW and lower ovarian E2 content. T and P4 content were not significantly different among groups. Exposure to A in drinking water during pregnancy increases E2 and T serum levels without affecting reproductive performance. Further studies are needed to clarify the impact of hormonal alterations on the development of the fetuses. (CONICET-UBA-ANPCYT).