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Detrimental effects of prenatal exposure to filtered diesel exhaust on mouse spermatogenesis

  • Reproductive Toxicology
  • Published:
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Abstract

We recently showed that prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) disrupts spermatogenesis in mouse offspring. This study was undertaken to determine whether filtered DE in which 99.97% of diesel exhaust particles >0.3 μm in diameter were removed affects spermatogenesis in growing mice. After prenatal exposure to filtered DE for 2–16 days postcoitum, we examined daily sperm production (DSP), testicular histology, serum testosterone levels and mRNA expression of hormone synthesis process-related factors. In the filtered DE exposed group, DSP was markedly reduced at 12 weeks compared with the control group; clean air exposed group. Histological examination showed multinucleated giant cells and partial vacuolation in the seminiferous tubules of the exposed group. Testosterone was elevated significantly at 5 weeks. Moreover, luteinizing hormone receptor mRNA at 5 and 12 weeks, 17α-hydroxylase/C17-20-lyase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNAs at 12 weeks were significantly elevated. These results suggest that filtered DE retains its toxic effects on the male reproductive system following prenatal exposure.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by a grant from CREST of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and a Grant-in-Aid for Science Research from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. We thank Dr. Takahiro Kobayashi for support in management of exposure chamber.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hygiene Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan

    Naoka Ono, Shigeru Oshio, Yuichiro Niwata & Ken Takeda

  2. Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama, 332-0012, Japan

    Naoka Ono, Shigeru Oshio, Yuichiro Niwata, Seiichi Yoshida, Naomi Tsukue, Isamu Sugawara, Hirohisa Takano & Ken Takeda

  3. Department of Hygiene Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ohu University, Fukushima, 963-8611, Japan

    Shigeru Oshio

  4. Department of Health and Sciences, Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Oita, 870-1201, Japan

    Seiichi Yoshida

  5. Mycobacterial Reference Center, The Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Tokyo, 204-8533, Japan

    Isamu Sugawara

  6. Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, 305-0053, Japan

    Hirohisa Takano

  7. Department of Hygiene Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ohu University, 31-1 Sankakudou, Tomita, Koriyama, Fukushima, 953-8611, Japan

    Shigeru Oshio

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  1. Naoka Ono
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Correspondence to Shigeru Oshio.

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Ono, N., Oshio, S., Niwata, Y. et al. Detrimental effects of prenatal exposure to filtered diesel exhaust on mouse spermatogenesis. Arch Toxicol 82, 851–859 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-008-0302-1

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