Impact of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors on Spermatogenesis in Rat Experimental Model

ABSTRACT

The human being is exposed to a great variety of endocrine disruptors (EDs), widely spread in environment and they are potential risk for male reproductive health and fertility. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of EDs with estrogenic activity on testis development and function. Seven experimental groups were used and rats were treated neonatally with different oestrogen active compounds (diethylstilbestrol/DES/, Bisphenol-A/Bis-A/, octylphenol/OP/and genistein). The oestrogen effect was evaluated by using a complex system of functional and morphological criteria. Data showed dose-dependent effect of DES (inhibitory for medium and high doses and stimulatory for low dose) on the testis during puberty and in adulthood. Genistein affects negatively but temporary spermatogenesis in puberty, while Bis-A and OP has slight stimulatory effect. No significant effect was observed in the adulthood neither for genistein treated group nor for animals injected with Bis-A and OP. In conclusion potent synthetic estrogens are serious risk factor for male reproductive health while there is slight possibility for human to be exposed on industrial estrogens to such high doses that could affect male fertility. However, accelerative effect of industrial oestrogrens on onset of puberty should be interpreted carefully because such effect could have consequences in later life.

Keywords:

• endocrine disruptors
• environment
• spermatogenesis