Abstract
In recent experimental studies, we reported the aggravating effects of Asian sand dust (ASD) on male reproduction in mice. However, the effects of fetal ASD exposure on male reproduction have not been investigated. The present study investigated the effects of fetal ASD exposure on reproduction in male offspring. Using pregnant CD-1 mice, ASD was administered intratracheally on days 7 and 14 of gestation, and the reproduction of male offspring was determined at 5, 10, and 15 weeks after birth. The secondary sex ratio was significantly lower in the fetal ASD-exposed mice than in the controls. Histologic examination showed partial vacuolation of seminiferous tubules in immature mice. Moreover, daily sperm production (DSP) was significantly less in the fetal ASD-exposed mice than in the controls. DSP in the fetal ASD-exposed mice was approximately 10% less than the controls at both 5 and 10 weeks. However, both the histologic changes and the DSP decrease were reversed as the mice matured. These findings suggest that ASD exposure affects both the fetal development and the reproduction of male offspring. In the future, it will be necessary to clarify the onset mechanisms of ASD-induced male fetus death and male reproductive disorders.
Highlights
Asian sand dust (ASD) storms arise from the dry and semi-arid areas of Southern Mongolia and transport dust and other particles to East China, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and Japan, as well as making more than one full circuit around the globe [1,2,3,4]
We recently reported the toxic effects of sand dust on murine lungs and its aggravating effects on allergen-induced eosinophilic inflammation in the murine airway [13,14]
We have shown that fetal exposure to diesel exhaust and carbon nanoparticles impairs the reproductive function of male offspring [18,19]
Summary
Asian sand dust (ASD) storms arise from the dry and semi-arid areas of Southern Mongolia and transport dust and other particles to East China, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and Japan, as well as making more than one full circuit around the globe [1,2,3,4]. Recent major epidemiological concerns about ASD are its potentially hazardous effects on child and adult asthma [5,6], allergic rhinitis [7,8], and an increase of hospitalization for pneumonia [9], as well as an increase in daily mortality in Seoul, Korea [10,11] and Taiwan [12]. Public Health 2016, 13, 1173; doi:10.3390/ijerph13111173 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
