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Effects of cypermethrin and methyl parathion mixtures on hormone levels and immune functions in Wistar rats

  • Organ Toxicity and Mechanisms
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Abstract

To study interaction and dose-related effects of mixed cypermethrin and methyl parathion on endocrine and immune functions, 120 Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups of ten male and ten female rats, respectively, at the age of 2 months. All groups were force-fed every 2 days for 30 days with cypermethrin 0.0, 8.0, 0.0, 8.0, 1.8, 0.4 mg/kg bw and methyl parathion 0.0, 0.0, 0.23, 0.23, 0.0518, 0.0115 mg/kg bw. Controls received vehicle solvent only. Body weight gain and organ weights were measured. Serum or blood were used to test luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol (E2), testosterone, thyroid hormones (T3, T4, TSH), IgG, IgA, rate of neutrophil phagocytosis and of lymphocyte transformation. The effects on relative weights of ovaries and adrenals, IgA and rate of lymphocyte transformation were antagonistic interaction; the effect on estradiol was synergistic in female, whereas addictive in male rats; and the other indices indicated addictive interaction. Organ weights were similar in exposed and control animals except for adrenal (heavier in exposed rats, P<0.01). Serum levels of FSH and estradiol were higher in exposed groups than in controls (P<0.01). IgG levels were lower in exposed rats than in controls (P<0.01), and IgA levels were higher in exposed females than in controls (P<0.01). Lymphocyte transformation rates were lower (P<0.01) and neutrophil phagocytosis rates were higher (P<0.01) in exposed rats than in controls. Our results showed that exposure to low-dose mixtures of cypermethrin and methyl parathion may affect hormone levels (especially estradiol) and immune function in rats, and the NOAELs of combined compounds were located at 1/600 LD50.

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Abbreviations

E2 :

Estradiol

FSH:

Follicle stimulating hormone

LH:

Luteinizing hormone

NK:

Natural killer cell

RIA:

Radioimmunoassay

SRBC-PFC:

Sheep red blood cell–plaque-forming cells

T:

Testosterone

T3 :

Triiodothyronine

T4 :

Tetraiodothyronine

TSH:

Thyroid stimulating hormone

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by The Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan, P.R.China (Grant No. 2002C0050M) and the grant of Kunming Medical College (Grant No. KMC2005DG05). We thank Drs. Howard Frumkin and Gary Miller for their comments. The experiments performed complied with the current Chinese laws on animal experimentation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University for Science and Technology, 13 Hongkong Road, 430030, Wuhan , Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Ping Liu & Xuemin Chen

  2. Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical College, 191 Western People’s Road, 650031, Kunming, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China

    Ping Liu, Xiaoxiao Song, Weihong Yuan, Weihua Wen, Xinan Wu & Jian Li

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  1. Ping Liu
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  2. Xiaoxiao Song
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  3. Weihong Yuan
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  4. Weihua Wen
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  5. Xinan Wu
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  7. Xuemin Chen
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Correspondence to Xuemin Chen.

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Liu, P., Song, X., Yuan, W. et al. Effects of cypermethrin and methyl parathion mixtures on hormone levels and immune functions in Wistar rats. Arch Toxicol 80, 449–457 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0071-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-006-0071-7

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