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Time‐dependent effects of lead on rat reproductive functions
Author(s) -
Kempinas W. G.,
Favaretto A. L. V.,
Melo V. R.,
Carvalho T. L. Lamano,
Petenusci S. O.,
OliveiraFilho R. M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.2550140608
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , luteinizing hormone , hormone , lead acetate , testosterone (patch) , endocrine system , basal (medicine) , hypothalamus , median eminence , toxicity , cyproterone acetate , chemistry , hormone receptor , testicle , receptor , biology , androgen , cancer , breast cancer , insulin
The effects of exposure to lead on endocrine function and the reproductive parameters were studied in pubertal rats treated with 1.0 g l −1 lead acetate in drinking water for 20 days (subacute group) or 9 months (chronic group) in addition to i.v. injections of lead acetate (0.1 mg 100 g −1 body wt.) every 10 (subacute group) or 15 days (chronic group). Although basal levels of testosterone were higher both in plasma and in testes of acutely intoxicated animals, the circulating levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) were not affected in either group, nor was the LH‐releasing hormone content of the median eminence. The density of [ 125 I]LH/human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) binding sites in testicular homogenates was reduced by saturnism in both groups, concomitant with a significantly increased apparent affinity constant of the hormone‐receptor complex. These data can be viewed as the result of a mixture of specific lead toxicity (e.g. at the enzyme level) with other more general actions (e.g. at the level of the hypothalamus‐pituitary‐testicular axis).