Sex-Dependent Effects of Maternal PCB Exposure on the Electroretinogram in Adult Rats

Kremer, H.P.H.; Lilienthal, Hellmuth; Hany, Jürgen; Roth-Härer, Astrid; Winneke, Gerhard

doi:10.1016/s0892-0362(98)00030-0

Cited by 17 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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Section: A1221 Effects On Paced Mating Behaviorssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Our results suggest that A1221 may alter the amount of time that females choose to spend with males after a mating event. Consistent with this, other reports on PCBs have shown effects on other sensory and motor parameters in many systems, including audition (Crofton et al, 2000), sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities (Chen et al, 1985) and vision (Kremer et al, 1999).Not all aspects of the suite of mating behaviors were significantly affected by early PCB treatment. We did not detect significant differences in lordosis quotient (LQ) among treatment groups, although there was a non-significant trend for the highest LQ in the 1 mg/kg group.…”

supporting

confidence: 84%

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The effects of prenatal PCBs on adult female paced mating reproductive behaviors in rats

Steinberg

Juenger

Gore

2007

Hormones and Behavior

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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of toxicants that persist in measurable quantities in human and wildlife tissues, despite their ban in production in 1977. Some PCB mixtures can act as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by mimicking or antagonizing the actions of hormones in the brain and periphery. When exposure to hormonally active substances such as PCBs occurs during vulnerable developmental periods, particularly prenatally or in early postnatal life, they can disrupt sex-specific patterning of the brain, inducing permanent changes that can later be manifested as improper sexual behaviors. Here, we investigated the effects of prenatal exposure to the PCB mixture Aroclor (A) 1221 on adult female reproductive behaviors in a dose-response model in the SpragueDawley rat. Using a paced mating paradigm that permits the female to set the timing of mating and control contact with the male during copulation, we were able to uncover significant differences in female-typical sexual activities in A1221-exposed females. Specifically, A1221 causes significant effects on mating trial pacing, vocalizations, ambulation and the female's likelihood to mate. The results further demonstrate that the intermediate treatment group has the greatest number of disrupted endpoints, suggestive of non-linear dose responses to A1221. These data demonstrate that the behavioral phenotype in adulthood is disrupted by low, ecologically relevant exposures to PCBs, and the results have implications for reproductive success and health in wildlife and women. KeywordsAroclor 1221; Paced mating; PCB; Female reproductive behavior; Endocrine disruption Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in industry as inflammable coolants and lubricants and as components of paints and plastics. Banned in 1977 in response to dawning public awareness of their estrogenic and potentially toxic effects on humans and wildlife, PCBs continue to leach into soil, air and groundwater via retired industrial equipment, and from old factories and buildings. PCBs may have variable degrees of impact depending on which congeners or congener mixtures are involved, the organism's age at exposure, the sex of the individual, the degree of exposure and the availability of compensatory diet or social buffering to counteract those effects. An accurate evaluation of ecologically relevant xenobiotic exposure (Battershill, 1994;Brouwer et al., 1999).The neuroendocrine system serves as an interface between the central nervous system and peripheral endocrine organs, and thus represents a prime target for endocrine disruption by PCBs (Patisaul et al., 2006). PCBs and their metabolites can act at multiple nodes of the neuroendocrine axis: they may serve as hormone mimics (Connor et al., 1997), alter circulating hormone levels (Desaulniers et al., 1999), change patterns of estrous cyclicity (Meerts et al., 2004;Buitenhuis et al., 2004), disrupt hormone metabolism Kester et al., 2000;Yamane et al., 1975), influence endocrine-related and hypothalamic gene expression ...

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Section: A1221 Effects On Paced Mating Behaviorssupporting

confidence: 87%

supporting

confidence: 84%

The effects of prenatal PCBs on adult female paced mating reproductive behaviors in rats

Steinberg

Juenger

Gore

2007

Hormones and Behavior

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“…We note that gender-specific differences in the regulation of gene expression induced by organochlorine exposures have been described previously in animal models (Table VI). In addition to sex-specific effects on gene expression in vivo and in vitro, organochlorine pollutants are known to induce other sex-specific differences in vivo including: changes in bone mineral density associated with PCB118 exposure [Hodgson et al, 2008], alterations in the dopamine system after dieldrin exposure [Richardson et al, 2006], decreasing amplitude in the electroretinogram in relation to PCBs [Kremer et al, 1999] and neurobehavioral effects associated with PCB exposure [Colciago et al, 2006;Darras, 2008]. These reports are consistent with our findings concerning organochlorine exposure related gender-specific differences in gene expression, and suggest that observed associations between PCB exposure and gene expression changes might be due to endocrine disruption.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender‐specific transcriptomic response to environmental exposure in flemish adults

Coster

Leeuwen

Jennen

et al. 2013

Environ and Mol Mutagen

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Flanders, Belgium, is one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. The Flemish Environment and Health Survey (2002-2006) aimed at determining exposure to pollutants of neonates, adolescents, and older adults and to assess associated biological and health effects. This study investigated genome wide gene expression changes associated with a range of environmental pollutants, including cadmium, lead, PCBs, dioxin, hexachlorobenzene, p,p'-DDE, benzene, and PAHs. Gene expression levels were measured in peripheral blood cells of 20 adults with relatively high and 20 adults with relatively low combined internal exposure levels, all non-smokers aged 50-65. Pearson correlation was used to analyze associations between pollutants and gene expression levels, separately for both genders. Pollutant- and gender-specific correlation analysis results were obtained. For organochlorine pollutants, analysis within genders revealed that genes were predominantly regulated in opposite directions in males and females. Significantly modulated pathways were found to be associated with each of the exposure biomarkers measured. Pathways and/or genes related to estrogen and STAT5 signaling were correlated to organochlorine exposures in both genders. Our work demonstrates that gene expression in peripheral blood is influenced by environmental pollutants. In particular, gender-specific changes are associated with organochlorine pollutants, including gender-specific modulation of endocrine related pathways and genes. These pathways and genes have previously been linked to endocrine disruption related disorders, which in turn have been associated with organochlorine exposure. Based on our results, we recommend that males and females be considered separately when analyzing gene expression changes associated with exposures that may include chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties.

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“…Other Routes of Exposure Single Congeners. Subcutaneous administration of 1.5 mg / kg of PCB 77 to pregnant Long-Evans rats on gestational days 7 -18 resulted in altered electroretinogram (ERG ) in female offspring recorded at about 200 days of age (Kremer et al, 1999 ). Specific alterations consisted of decreases in the scotopic b -wave as well as on the a -wave and maximum potential, the first two wavelets of the oscillatory potentials, and the flicker response at the beginning of light adaptation.…”

Section: Other Neurological Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on the nervous system

2000

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The neurological effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been extensively investigated in humans and in animals. The main focus in human studies has been on the effects in neonates and young children, although studies of adults have also been conducted. A great deal of concern exists that even low levels of PCBs transferred to the fetus across the placenta may induce long-lasting neurological damage. Because PCBs are lipophilic substances, there is also concem that significant amounts might be transferred to nursing infants via breast milk. Studies in humans who consumed large amounts of Great Lakes fish contaminated with environmentally persistent chemicals, including PCBs. have provided evidence that PCBs are important contributors to subtle neurobehavioral alterations observed in newborn children and that some of these alterations persist during childhood. Some consistent observations at birth have been motor immaturity and hyporeflexia and lower psychomotor scores between 6 months and 2 years old. There is preliminary evidence that highly chlorinated PCB congeners, which accumulate in certain fish, are associated with neurobehavioral alterations seen in some newbom children. Subtle neurobehavioral alterations have also been observed in children bom to mothers in the general population with the highest PCB body burdens. Because of the limitations of epidemiological studies, these effects cannot be attributed entirely to PCB exposure. In one general population study, there was strong evidence that dioxins, as well as PCBs, were contributors to the neurobehavioral effects seen in exposed children. Children born to women who accidentally consumed rice oil contaminated with relatively high amounts of PCBs and chlorinated dibenzofurans (CDFs) during pregnancy also had neurodevelopmental changes. Studies in animals support the human data. Neurobehavioral alterations have been also observed in rats and monkeys following prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to commercial Aroclor mixtures, defined experimental congener mixtures, single PCB congeners, and Great Lakes contaminated fish. In addition, monkeys exposed postnatally to PCB mixtures of congeneric composition and concentration similar to that found in human breast milk showed learning deficits long after exposure had ceased. A few other generalizations can be made from the data in animals. It appears that ortho-substituted PCB congeners are more active than coplanar PCBs in modifying cognitive processes. In addition, one effect observed in both rats and monkeys--deficits on delayed spatial alternation--has been known to be induced by exposure to ortho-substituted PCBs, defined experimental mixtures, and commercial Aroclors. Both dioxin-like and non-dioxin-like PCB congeners have been shown to induce neurobehavioral alterations in animals. Changes in levels of neurotransmitters in various brain areas have also been observed in monkeys, rats, and mice. Of all the observed changes, the most consistent has been a decrease in dopamine content in basal ganglia ...

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Sex-Dependent Effects of Maternal PCB Exposure on the Electroretinogram in Adult Rats

Cited by 17 publications

References 49 publications

The effects of prenatal PCBs on adult female paced mating reproductive behaviors in rats

The effects of prenatal PCBs on adult female paced mating reproductive behaviors in rats

Gender‐specific transcriptomic response to environmental exposure in flemish adults

Effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on the nervous system

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