Non-monotonic effects of Bisphenol A Dimethacrylate on male mouse reproductive system and fertility leads to impaired conceptive performance

Abstract

As an estrogenic agent, Bisphenol A Dimethacrylate (Bis-DMA) may incite alterations in both the reproductive tract and the neuroendocrine axis, and thus have the potential to affect the proper development, maturity and conceptive performance in animals. We investigated the consequences of 14 weeks of exposure to different concentrations of Bis-DMA on male mouse conceptive performance. Male mice were exposed to Bis-DMA (0, 0.1 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L or 10 mg/L) via drinking water, and the effects on fertility, reproductive organ weights, reproductive hormone levels, sperm counts and testicular histology were assessed. We clearly demonstrate that prolonged exposure of male mice to Bis-DMA negatively affects fertility and reproduction causing significant reductions in sperm counts, non-monotonic effects on serum LH and testosterone levels, increased seminal vesicle weights, lower number of embryonic implantations and viable fetuses, as well as, increased embryonal resorptions in females mated by Bis-DMA treated males. Furthermore, Bis-DMA caused abnormalities in testicular infrastructure with atrophic seminiferous tubules exhibiting intraepithelial vacuolization and disorganization, loss and shedding of germ cells into the lumen, and presence of apoptotic cells. Our data collectively suggest that Bis-DMA adversely affects male fertility and reproduction by interference with normal hormone signaling in the testis, inducing changes in testicular infrastructure and ultimately leading to impaired reproductive function and fertility.