Continuous Exposure of Lactating Rat Mothers to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Increases Testis Volume, Sperm Production and Sertoli Cell Numbers in Adult Male Offspring / 체질인류학회지

Despite the possible consequences of maternal ingestion of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on future generation, information in limited on how/whether maternal PCB exposure affects testis of the adult male offspring. Therefore, we conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of intermittent and continuous of lactating rats to low and high doses of Aroclor 1242 (a PCB congener) on volume density of seminiferous tubules and interstitium, testis volume, sperm production/day and the total number of Sertoli cells per testis in adult male offspring. In experiment I, 3 groups of lactating Sprague Dawley rats received daily subcutaneous injections of 0.1 ml of corn oil, low dose (8microgram) and high dose (80microgram) of Aroclor 1242 in corn oil respectively, from parturition to weaning of pups at 21 days. In experiment II, 3 groups of lactating rats received 2 subcutaneous injections per week of 0.1 ml corn oil, low and high doses of Aroclor respectively, as in experiment I. Pups in all groups were weaned at day 21 and were raised on a normal diet until sacrificed at 90 days to evaluate volume density of seminiferous tubules and interstitium, testis volume, sperm production/day and the total number of Sertoli cells per testis. Volume density of seminiferous tubules and interstitium per testis was determined by point counting method. Testis volume and sperm production/day was measured by routine techniques. The total number of Sertoli cells per testis was determined by morphometry(disector method). In experiment I and II, the volume density of seminiferous tubules and interstitium per testis was equal in control and treated testes. In experiment I (continuous exposure), the testis volume was increased by 14.8% (low dose)~16.5% (high dose), and sperm production/day and Sertoli cell numbers were increased 20.4~25%, and 32.6~39.4%, respectively. In experiment II (intermittent exposure), testis volume, sperm production/day and the total number of Sertoli cells per testis were not significantly different (p>0.05) in PCB-exposed rats (both low and high doses) compared to controls. It is clear that continuous exposure, but not intermittent exposure of male rats to Aroclor during the neonatalprepubertal period causes detrimental effects on the testis in adult male offspring. These results emphasize the susceptibility of the developing testis to environmental factors during the crucial neonatal period.

Varicocele in Children and Low Teenagers: Studies on Prevalence. Scrotal Temperature and Testicular Volume / 대한비뇨기과학회지

Studies on the prevalence of varicocele and the relation of varicocele to scrotal temperature and testicular volume were performed on 986 healthy Korean boys 6 to 15 years of age for 5 months from the May, 1988 to September, 1988. We examined the subjects in standing position with Valsalva maneuver for detecting varicocele and classified the varicocele as grade I, grade II, or grade III according to the system proposed by Dubin and Amelar in 1970. Scrotal temperatures were measured in standing position by contact scrotal thermography using Varicoscreen, a flexible screen covered with thermosensitive liquid crystals reflecting color from brown (at 31.8 degrees C) to blue (at 34.5 degrees C). Testicular volume was measured by indirect method using series of graduated plastic models (Prade orchidometer). Following results were obtained. The overall prevalence rate of varicocele aged 6 to 15 years was 8.8%. No case of varicocele was encountered in 303 boys aged 6 to 8 years, while the incidence in the 683 subjects 9 to 15 years was 12.8% with an increase from 2.9% in 9-year-olds to 18.8% in 14-year-olds. Among 87 varicocele subjects, varicocele accounted for 75.9% in the left side, 5.7% in the right and 18.4% in both sides. And of 103 varicocele testes 51.5% were classified as grade I, 29.1 % as grade II and 19.4% as grade III. The scrotal temperature exceeded 31.8 degrees C in their contralateral normal testes. Varicocele increased scrotal temperatures not only in the affected side, but also in the other side. Scrotal temperature in varicocele testes was revealed significantly higher than that in normal (p<0.01). The degree Of varicocele bears relation to scrotal temperatures (p<0.01). In healthy Korean boys in 6-year-olds, the mean testicular volume was 1.1+/-0.4 ml. The testicular growth rapidly increased in 11-year-olds and in 15 years of age testis was 14 times larger than that of 6-year-olds. There was no volume differential between both testes in normal subjects. In the subjects with unilateral left varicocele, the testicular volume was decreased in both sides than in the normal subjects. Ipsilateral and contralateral testicular volume was most prominently decreased in grade III varicocele.