Effects of paternal exposure to benzo (a) pyrene: behavioral and reproductive evaluations in F1 generation in rats

Abstract

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a persistent organic pollutant, widespread in the environment. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during critical development windows can cause epigenetic changes, which may appear immediately or long after exposure. Our laboratory has demonstrated that exposure to BaP caused significant changes in the sperm quality of male rats exposed from the juvenile period to peripuberty and that this compound can act as an EDC and cause reproductive changes in F1 generation. However, additional data need more investigation about the way BaP affects F1 offspring in reproductive and behavioral parameters. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the consequences of paternal exposure to BaP, from juvenile to peripuberty in male and female F1 generation (multigenerational). For this, male Wistar rats (postnatal day (PND) 23) will be distributed in two groups: a control group (corn oil + DMSO) and an exposed group to 0.1 ¼g/kg/day of BaP. The treatment will occur for 31 days, orally. In adult life, these males will be mated to generate the offspring of interest in this study. The possible impacts caused by the BaP parental exposure in the F1 offspring will be investigated through the following parameters: physical and sexual development, female and male sexual behavior, fertility test, oxidative stress of testis and ovary, immunohistochemistry for ER-alpha and sperm motility in adult life. All data collected will be submitted to statistical tests to analyze the results.