Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis

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Pathological damage and ultrastructure changes in female rat ovary induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

TAN Qin1,2,QIN Xiao-yun1,2,XU Xin-yun2,*,ZHANG Qian2,MA Quan1,2,YANG Xi-fei2,WU De-sheng2,JIANG Ling-zhi1,ZHOU Li2,LIU Jian-jun2,HUANG Hai-yan2,YANG Lin-qing2,HUANG Xin-feng2,HUANG Guan-qin2   

  1. School of Life Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060
  • Received:2014-06-18 Revised:2014-09-02 Online:2014-09-30 Published:2014-09-30

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pathological damage and ultrastructure changes in female rat ovary when rats were treated with di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP),to assess the toxicity of DEHP in female reproduction. METHODS:40 female SD rats were randomly divided into control group (corn oil),DEHP low dose group (100 mg/kg),DEHP medium dose group (500 mg/kg ),DEHP high dose group (1 500 mg/kg). The rats were treated with DEHP by gavage for 6 weeks. Rat body weight and ovary wet weight and ovary coefficients were calculated,the ovarian pathology was studied after HE staining,the ultrastructure changes in granulose cells were examined through electron microscopy. RESULTS:The ovarian weight and ovary coefficients were increased in DEHP high dose group. Pathological changes showed ovarian follicle damage,loose granular cell structure, follicular atresia after DEHP treatment. We also found mitochondria swollen, mitochondrial cristae decreased, cytoplasmic vacuolation, nuclear chromatin condensation,apoptotic bodies present,cell degeneration and necrosis in DEHP treated groups. CONCLUSION:DEHP could affect follicular development,induce granulose cell apoptosis in female rats,and subsequently causing reproductive toxicity.

Key words: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, ovary, ovarian follicles, granulose cells, ultrastructure, reproductive toxicity