Effects of prenatal nitrofen exposure on postnatal lung function in the rat.

The herbicide Nitrofen was administered by gavage to pregnant F-344 rats during Days 10 through 13 of gestation. Postnatal lung function was measured in male progeny at 3 and 6 weeks of age. There were no differences in body weight or wet and dry lung weights between control and Nitrofen-exposed rats in either age group. Nitrofen produced no observable effects on lung function at 3 weeks of age. However, by 6 weeks of age the Nitrofen-exposed animals had significant decreases in tidal volume (p less than 0.01), vital capacity (p less than 0.01), total lung capacity (p less than 0.05), and quasi-static lung compliance (p less than 0.01). There was also a mild ventilation inhomogeneity, as indicated by significant increases in the nitrogen washout slope (p less than 0.01) and the moment ratio (p less than 0.05). Histopathology of lung, liver, kidney, and testes was not significantly altered by Nitrofen exposure. These data suggest that prenatal Nitrofen exposure may have an effect on postnatal lung maturation in the rat and could potentially be useful as a model of pulmonary hypoplasia.