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. 2010 May;48(5):1160-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2010.02.003. Epub 2010 Feb 6.

Maternal fenvalerate exposure during pregnancy persistently impairs testicular development and spermatogenesis in male offspring

Heng Zhang  1 , Hua Wang, Yan-Li Ji, Ying Zhang, Tao Yu, Huan Ning, Cheng Zhang, Xian-Feng Zhao, Qun Wang, Ping Liu, De-Xiang Xu
Affiliations

Maternal fenvalerate exposure during pregnancy persistently impairs testicular development and spermatogenesis in male offspring

Heng Zhang et al. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 May.

Abstract

Fenvalerate, a widely used pyrethroid insecticide, has been associated with poor semen quality. As yet, little is known about the effects of prenatal fenvalerate exposure on testicular development. The present study investigated the effects of prenatal fenvalerate exposure on testicular development and spermatogenesis. The pregnant mice were administered fenvalerate (30 mg/kg) by gavage daily from gestational day (gd) 13 to gd 18. The weights of testes and epididymides were significantly decreased in mice whose mothers were exposed to fenvalerate during pregnancy. Importantly, maternal fenvalerate exposure during pregnancy markedly decreased the number of mature seminiferous tubules (stages VII and VIII) in testes of adult male offspring. In addition, maternal fenvalerate exposure during pregnancy significantly reduced the number of epididymal spermatozoa in adult male offspring. Additional experiments showed that the level of serum testosterone (T) was significantly decreased in male fetuses whose mothers were exposed to fenvalerate during pregnancy. Correspondingly, mRNA and protein levels of P450(17alpha), a T synthetic enzyme, were significantly decreased in fetal testes. Moreover, the disruptive effect of prenatal fenvalerate exposure on testicular T synthesis was irreversible. In conclusion, prenatal fenvalerate exposure irreversibly impairs testicular development and spermatogenesis at least into early adulthood.

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