Sexual development of male and female rats after gestational and lactational exposure to tributyltin chloride (TBTCl), combined or not, to caloric supplementation after weaning

• Grant number: 16/21438-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: June 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Toxicology
• Principal Investigator: Carla Dal Bianco Fernandez
• Grantee: Lethycia Almeida Santos Azuma
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade do Sagrado Coração (USC). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The tributyltin is a toxic compound used in a variety of industrial sectors, and also as antifouling agent for ships, which has increasing the contamination, especially in the aquatic environment. The exposure to this organotin compounds may cause hormonal changes in many organisms, causing even so intersex effects. Thus, the aim of present study is to evaluate the gestational and lactational exposure to TBT on sexual development. The TBT also acts as obesogenic agent, inducing adipogenesis in vitro and in vivo, and thus, additionaly, this study aims to evaluate the possible reproductive effects from obesogenic action of this compound. For this, adult male and female Wistar rats will be maintained under controlled light and temperature conditions, and submitted to mattings. The pregnant or lactating rats will be weighed every two days to monitor the weight gain, and determining the dose to be administered. Pregnant rats will be treated with vehicle or TBTCl - 1 or 2 mg / kg during pregnancy and lactation, and the pups after weaning, will be fed a standard or high-fat diet. At birth, the pups will be weighed and assessed for sex and external defects, and the anogenital distance will be measured. During the male offspring development will be evaluated for both age of testicular descent and preputial separation, and females for both age of vaginal opening and first estrous, puberty indicatives. After installation of puberty, the animals will be killed and sexual organs will be collected for histologic evaluation. To compare data, ANOVA statistical tests will be used with "a posteriori" Dunnett test, or the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test, with "a posteriori" Dunn test, according to the characteristic of each variable. The differences will be considered statistically significant when p <0,05. So, with this project, we intend to contribute with scientific literature, adding knowledge about the role of environmental contaminants on reproductive problems. (AU)