Jiang Shuanglin, Chen Li, Shen Jianyun, Zhang Di, Wu Hai, Wang Rong, Zhang Shangrong, Jiang Nan, Li Wenyong
School of Biology and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China.
School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China.
Toxics. 2023 Jun 25;11(7):556. doi: 10.3390/toxics11070556.
Ambient black carbon (BC), a main constituent of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), is a primary particle that is mainly generated by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and biomass burning. BC has been identified as a potential health risk via exposure. However, the adverse effects of exposure to BC on the male reproductive system remain unclear. In the present study, we explored the effects of maternal exposure to oxidized black carbon (OBC) during pregnancy on testicular development and steroid synthesis in male offspring. Pregnant mice were exposed to OBC (467 μg/kg BW) or nanopure water (as control) by intratracheal instillation from gestation day (GD) 4 to GD 16.5 (every other day). We examined the testicular histology, daily sperm production, serum testosterone, and mRNA expression of hormone synthesis process-related factors of male offspring at postnatal day (PND) 35 and PND 84. Histological examinations exhibited abnormal seminiferous tubules with degenerative changes and low cellular adhesion in testes of OBC-exposed mice at PND 35 and PND 84. Consistent with the decrease in daily sperm production, the serum testosterone level of male offspring of OBC-exposed mice also decreased significantly. Correspondingly, mRNA expression levels of hormone-synthesis-related genes (i.e., , , , and ) were markedly down-regulated in male offspring of PND 35 and PND 84, respectively. In brief, these results suggest that prenatal exposure has detrimental effects on mouse spermatogenesis in adult offspring.
环境黑碳(BC)是大气颗粒物(PM)的主要成分,是一种主要由化石燃料不完全燃烧和生物质燃烧产生的一次颗粒物。已确认BC暴露具有潜在健康风险。然而,BC暴露对雄性生殖系统的不利影响仍不清楚。在本研究中,我们探究了孕期母体暴露于氧化黑碳(OBC)对雄性子代睾丸发育和类固醇合成的影响。从妊娠第4天(GD)至第16.5天(每隔一天),通过气管内滴注法将怀孕小鼠暴露于OBC(467μg/kg体重)或纳米纯水(作为对照)。我们检查了出生后第35天(PND)和第84天雄性子代的睾丸组织学、每日精子生成量、血清睾酮以及激素合成过程相关因子的mRNA表达。组织学检查显示,在PND 35和PND 84时,暴露于OBC的小鼠睾丸中曲细精管异常,有退行性变化且细胞黏附性低。与每日精子生成量减少一致,暴露于OBC的小鼠雄性子代的血清睾酮水平也显著降低。相应地,在PND 35和PND 84的雄性子代中,激素合成相关基因(即 、 、 和 )的mRNA表达水平分别显著下调。简而言之,这些结果表明产前暴露对成年子代小鼠的精子发生有不利影响。