[Transplacental administration of diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the rat: effects on fertility and on hormonal receptors in the endometrium].

To determine the effects of transplacental exposure to diethylstilboestrol (DES) on the fertility and endometrial hormonal receptors of the offsprings, timed pregnant OFA rats were treated with DES (10, 20, 50 and 100 micrograms/kg/day, subcutaneous) on days 10 to 18 of gestation (long time) or days 13 to 18 of gestation (short time). Only the lowest dosed groups (10 micrograms/kg/day, short and long times, and 20 micrograms/kg/day, short time) gave birth to living offsprings. The fertility of the male and female offsprings was determined postnatally by a breeding technique and appeared to be strongly decreased among females of all groups (70 to 100% of sterility) and slowly decreased among males (12 to 26% of pathological fecundity). Progesterone receptor concentrations were significantly decreased for treated group (0.40 and 0.44 pmol/mg cytosol proteins) versus control group (0.74 pmol/mg cytosol proteins). Estradiol receptor concentrations were significantly higher for long time treated groups (0.26 pmol/mg cytosol proteins) versus control or short time treated groups (0.15 and 0.13 pmol/mg cytosol proteins).