The effects of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) on fetal and adult rat testis

Reprod Toxicol. 2019 Dec:90:68-76. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.08.005. Epub 2019 Aug 11.

Abstract

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a widely dispersed synthetic chemical, which accumulates in living organisms and has been connected with male reproductive disorders. To monitor the effects of PFOA, fetal rat testes or seminiferous tubule segments (stage VII-VIII) of adult rats were cultured in 0-100 μg/ml PFOA for 24 h. Afterwards, cAMP, progesterone, testosterone and StAR protein levels were measured from the fetal testes culture. Measurements were combined with immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, TUNEL and flow cytometric analysis to monitor cell death in somatic and germ cells. This study shows that the levels of cAMP, progesterone, testosterone and expression of StAR decreased significantly in PFOA 50 and 100 μg/ml. PFOA affected cell populations significantly by decreasing the amount of diploid, proliferating, meiotic I and G2/M-phase cells in adult rat testis. However, PFOA did not affect fetal, proliferating or adult rat Sertoli cells but an increased tendency of apoptosis in fetal Leydig cells was observed.

Keywords: Endocrine disruption; Germ cells; Leydig cells; Male reproductive health; Sertoli cells; Spermatogenesis; Steroidogenic pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Caprylates / toxicity*
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Environmental Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Fetus / drug effects
  • Fetus / metabolism
  • Fluorocarbons / toxicity*
  • Male
  • Organ Culture Techniques
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Progesterone / metabolism
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
  • Testis / drug effects*
  • Testis / metabolism
  • Testis / pathology
  • Testosterone / metabolism

Substances

  • Caprylates
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Fluorocarbons
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
  • Testosterone
  • Progesterone
  • perfluorooctanoic acid
  • Cyclic AMP