Reproductive disorders in female rats after prenatal exposure to sodium arsenite

Abstract

Arsenic is a metalloid widely found in the environment in organic and inorganic forms. Exposure to inorganic arsenic forms via drinking water has been associated with an increased incidence of negative health effects, including reproductive disorders and dysfunction of the endocrine system. However, the impact of arsenic exposure on female reproductive development is still unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of prenatal exposure to arsenic on the initial sexual development and puberty onset, and in the morphology of the female reproductive organs, estrous cycle regularity and fertility parameters during adulthood. To do that, pregnant female Wistar rats were exposed to 10mg/L sodium arsenite via drinking water from gestational day (GD) 1 until GD 21 and the female offspring was evaluated in different postnatal days. Our results showed that prenatal arsenic exposure induced a decrease of litter weight and morphological masculinization in females at postnatal day 1. Moreover, these females had a delay in the age of puberty onset and alteration in estrous cycle number and length. During adulthood, females from the sodium arsenite group showed an increase in endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium areas, and an imbalance in uterine antioxidant enzyme activity. These animals also presented an increase in post-implantation loss and reabsorption number, leading to reduced viable fetus number. In conclusion, prenatal arsenic exposure in rats was able to promote female masculinization, alter sexual development and impair reproductive performance.