Structure of the genital tract and reproductive function of male and female rats exposed to testosterone propionate in utero and during lactation

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may mimic or antagonize endogenous hormones, altering the critical hormonal balance required for proper health and development. It is well known that exposure of organisms to some hormonally active agents during critical periods of development imprints permanent changes that can be detected later in adulthood. In many animal species these substances reach the fetus via placenta and/or the offspring via the mother's milk. Although first researches have focused on environmental estrogens and antiandrogens, androgenic activity has been described as contaminant in rivers and beef cattle. Previous studies demonstrated that exposure of experimental animals to high levels of androgens during perinatal age causes permanent morphological, biochemical, and functional alterations in several organs and systems. Perinatal exposure of female rodents to exogenous androgens results in both physiological and behavioral masculinization and causes reproductive disruption in male rodents. The aim of this study was to assess the possible effects of an androgenic compound on genital system and reproductive function of animals exposed during critical periods of development. Pregnant female rats were allocated into four experimental groups: control, which received corn oil (vehicle), and treated with testosterone propionate at doses of 0.05mg/kg, 0.1mg/kg and 0.2mg/kg. Treatments were performed subcutaneously, from gestational day 12 until the end of lactation. The female offspring was evaluated for fetal germ cell number, body weight and anogenital distance at post-natal day 1, number of nipples, puberty onset, histology of reproductive organs, hormonal levels, sexual behavior, fertility test, immunohistochemistry of steroid receptors, proliferation/apoptotic index, uterotrophic test and uterine stimulation with estrogens. On male offspring, at adult age and middle-age, histology of testis and epididymis, sperm counts, morphology and motility, hormonal levels, sexual behavior and fertility test were evaluated. Results demonstrated that, in females, the perinatal testosterone propionate exposure caused an alteration in the pattern of uterine steroidal receptors imunostaining in all tested doses, a decreased proliferation/apoptotic index in the uterine tissue at 0.1 and 0.2mg/kg and a greater predisposition from uterus in responding to estrogens stimulation at dose of 0.2mg/kg. However, these alterations were not capable of impairing female sexual differentiation and normal physiology of female genital tract. On male offspring, the perinatal androgenization provoked a reduction in sperm production and reserves at adult age, without altering fertility after natural mating. We can conclude that perinatal exposure to androgens, at doses used in this experiment, provoked the appearance of late alterations in the female genital system as modifications in the uterine steroidal receptors and abnormalities in uterine response to estrogenic stimulation, and in male genital system, as spermatic production impairment. These repercussions, however, were not capable to alter the general fertility performance in both sexes (AU)