Effects of the wood extractives dehydroabietic acid and betulinol on reproductive physiology of zebrafish (Danio rerio)-a two-generation study.

Two wood extractives, dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) and betulinol (BET), present in wood industry effluents were evaluated for their potential effects on the reproductive physiology of zebrafish. Adult zebrafish (F0) were exposed in a continuous flow-through system to 50 microg/l DHAA, 5 microg/l BET and 0.27 microg/l (1 nM) 17beta-estradiol (E2) for 3 months.

Effects of in utero and lactational exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on rat follicular steroidogenesis.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a widespread environmental pollutant and causes adverse effects on female reproduction when administered to rats. Our aims were to study effects of gestational and lactational exposure to TCDD on ovarian steroidogenesis and steroidogenic enzyme expression of offspring on postnatal day (PND) 14 in the rat and sensitivity of enzymatically isolated ovarian follicles to TCDD in vitro. Synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) was used as a treatment control.

In vitro effects of diethylstilbestrol, genistein, 4-tert-butylphenol, and 4-tert-octylphenol on steroidogenic activity of isolated immature rat ovarian follicles.

Isolated rat ovarian follicles grow and produce steroid hormones in vitro and so provide a good model for studying the effects of hormonally active compounds on follicular steroidogenesis. We have evaluated the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES), genistein (GEN) and two alkylphenols, 4-tert-butylphenol (BP) and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) on the growth, survival, and steroid hormone and cAMP production by isolated 14-day-old rat (Sprague-Dawley) ovarian follicles. During a 5-day culture, FSH was obligatory for follicle growth and increased estradiol and testosterone secretion in a dose-dependent manner.

Pattern of male reproductive system effects after in utero and lactational 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure in three differentially TCDD-sensitive rat lines.

Male reproductive effects induced by in utero and lactational exposure to TCDD were analyzed in three rat lines that are differently sensitive to TCDD. Rats from lines A, B, and C were selectively bred from TCDD-resistant Han/Wistar (Kuopio, H/W) and TCDD-sensitive Long-Evans (Turku/AB, L-E) rats and exhibited very different LD50 values for TCDD: >10,000, 830, and 40 microg/kg in males, respectively. The resistance in line A rats was linked to a mutated H/W-type aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr(hw)) and in line B rats to a H/W-type unknown allele B (B(hw)).

Effects of 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-tert-butylphenol, and diethylstilbestrol on prenatal testosterone surge in the rat.

In the present study, we evaluated the effects that 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) and 4-tert-butylphenol (BP) had on the prenatal testicular testosterone surge at embryonic day (ED) 19.5 in the rat. In utero exposure to alkylphenols (0.