Region-specific growth effects in the developing rat prostate following fetal exposure to estrogenic ultraviolet filters.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Hofkamp, Luke Bradley, Sarahann Tresguerres, Jesus Lichtensteiger, Walter Schlumpf, Margret Timms, Barry
Copyright Year	2008
Abstract	Background and objectivesExposure to environmental endocrine disruptors is a potential risk factor for humans. Many of these chemicals have been shown to exhibit disruption of normal cellular and developmental processes in animal models. Ultraviolet (UV) filters used as sunscreens in cosmetics have previously been shown to exhibit estrogenic activity in in vitro and in vivo assays. We examined the effects of two UV filters, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and 3-benzylidene camphor (3-BC), in the developing prostate of the fetal rat.MethodsPregnant Long Evans rats were fed diets containing doses of 4-MBC and 3-BC that resulted in average daily intakes of these chemicals corresponding to the lowest observed adverse effects level (LOAEL) and the no observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) doses in prior developmental toxicity studies. Using digital photographs of serial sections from postnatal day 1 animals, we identified, contoured, and aligned the epithelial ducts from specific regions of the developing prostate, plus the accessory sex glands and calculated the total volume for each region from three-dimensional, surface-rendered models.ResultsFetal exposure to 4-MBC (7.0 mg/kg body weight/day) resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in tissue volume in the prostate and accessory sex glands. Treated males exhibited a 62% increase in the number of ducts in the caudal dorsal prostate. Increased distal branching morphogenesis appears to be a consequence of exposure in the ventral region, resulting in a 106% increase in ductal volume.Conclusions4-MBC exposure during development of the male reproductive accessory sex glands exhibited classical growth effects associated with estrogenic endocrine disruptors. The different regional responses suggest that the two developmental processes of ductal outgrowth and branching morphogenesis are affected independently by exposure to the environmental chemicals.
ISSN	00916765
Journal	Environmental Health Perspectives
Volume Number	116
PubMed Central reference number	PMC2453153
Issue Number	7
PubMed reference number	18629307
e-ISSN	15529924
DOI	10.1289/ehp.10983
Language	English
Publisher	National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Publisher Date	2008-07-01
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, ?Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives?); pertinent reference information should be provided for the article from which the material was reproduced. Articles from EHP, especially the News section, may contain photographs or illustrations copyrighted by other commercial organizations or individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from the holder of the copyright.
Subject Keyword	endocrine disruptors 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) prostate development UV filters
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health