Impairment of male rat reproductive function in F1 offspring from dams exposed to 2-bromopropane during gestation and lactation

The toxic effects of 2-bromopropane (2-BP) on the reproductive tracts of male F I offspring from dams exposed to 2-BP during gestation and lactation were investigated. Ten pregnant (sperm-positive) Sprague-Dawley rats per group were exposed sc to 2-BP at 135, 405, and 1215 mg/kg/day from gestation day (GD) 6 to postnatal day (PND) 20. 2-BP decreased the proportion of dams littering at the two highest doses. At the highest dose, the rate of delivery and surviving pups were significantly lower than in the controls (P less than or equal to 0.05). The relative weights of testes vs. brain were significantly lower than the controls (P less than or equal to 0.05) on PND 33 and 63 at 405 mg/kg/day, and on PND 90 at 1215 mg/kg/day in the F1 rats. Seminiferous tubule atrophy, germ cell loss, and increased Leydig cell proliferation were observed at the highest dose by histopathologic examination. Female offspring has a decrease in all follicle types at the high dose. These results suggest that gestational and lactational exposure to 2-BP at a high maternally toxic dose impairs the development of the reproductive organs of the offspring. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Inc.