Effects of in utero exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on sexual development in female offspring / 中华预防医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the ability of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) with inducing damage in sexual development of female offspring rats after maternal exposure.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>On gestational day (GD) 12, pregnant Wistar rats were weighed, encoded and randomly assigned to 5 groups (10 dams per group). From GD 12 through GD 17 each dam was dosed daily by gavage with either corn oil (vehicle control, 1 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) or DEHP (1, 250, 750 and 1000 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)). Then female offspring were monitored for eye opening on postnatal day (PND) 14-17, organ coefficient on PND 22 and the time to vaginal opening on PND 30 - 38 (if vagina did not open during the period, observation time should extent to adult), as well as body weight, time to first estrus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant changes were observed on eye opening at any dose, which were (15.8 +/- 0.4) d, (16.3 +/- 0.6) d, (16.0 +/- 0.6) d, (15.9 +/- 0.6) d, (15.8 +/- 0.4) d respectively in control, 1, 250, 750 and 1000 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) (F = 1.363, P = 0.262). However, 62.50% (15/24), 81.25% (26/32) female offspring were permanently absence of vaginal orifice in 750 and 1000 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) groups respectively, while control, 1 and 250 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) groups developed normally with vaginal orifices (chi(2) values were 84.92, 132.79, respectively, P < 0.01). The ages of vaginal opening were (32.7 +/- 1.3) d, (33.3 +/- 1.5) d, (32.2 +/- 1.5) d, (33.1 +/- 1.3) d, (33.3 +/- 1.2) d and the body weight were (91.56 +/- 6.65) g, (93.79 +/- 6.28) g, (92.98 +/- 8.48) g, (100.57 +/- 6.47) g, (103.83 +/- 8.24) g in control, 1, 250, 750 and 1000 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1). After covariance adjustment for body weight, which can statistically influenced the age of vaginal opening (F = 40.857, P < 0.05), difference were found at the age of vaginal opening (F = 3.075, P < 0.05), and 250 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1) group was advanced than control (t = -2.056, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Exposure to DEHP in utero from GD 12 - 17 can result in abnormalities of sexual development such as the time to vaginal opening and vaginal atresia.</p>