Effects of exposure of rat dams to 1-bromopropane during pregnancy and lactation on growth and sexual maturation of their offspring

Abstract

1-Bromopropane (1-BP) exhibits neuroreproductive toxicities in adult rats and humans. Here, we determined the effects of exposure of rat dams to 1-BP during pregnancy and lactation on the growth and sexual maturation of their offspring. In Experiment 1, 40 rats were exposed to 0, 100, 400 and 800 ppm 1-BP during pregnancy and lactation for 8 h/day. Ten rats that were not placed in chambers throughout the experiment served to observe the effect of separation of dams from offspring. In Experiment 2, three groups of 10 pregnant rats each were exposed to fresh air in three chambers and 10 other rats were exposed to 800 ppm 1-BP during pregnancy and lactation for 8 h/day. After delivery, offspring of the exposed and non-exposed dams were swapped so that they were nursed by the opposite dams. In Experiment 1, the survival rate and body weight of offspring were lower than the non-exposed in 1-BP dose-dependent manner. In Experiment 2, the survival rate and body weight of offspring (Group A) nursed by exposed dams and those (Group B) of exposed dams were significantly lower than non-exposed groups. The body weight of Group A was lower than that of Group B, although the two groups showed a significant equal decrease in the survival rate. The number of dead offspring from Group A was significantly higher. Our results indicate that exposure to 1-BP during pregnancy and lactation has comparable effects on survival rate, but exposure during lactation has a more adverse effect on growth of offspring than that during pregnancy. Moreover, exposure during lactation is associated with reduced early survival of third generation (F2) rats.