Effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to the UV-filter Octyl Methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the reproductive, auditory and neurological development of rat offspring

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2010.10.031· OSTI ID:21535225

Axelstad, Marta ^[1]; Boberg, Julie ^[1]; Hougaard, Karin Sorig ^[2]; Christiansen, Sofie; Jacobsen, Pernille Rosenskjold; Mandrup, Karen Riiber; Nellemann, Christine ^[1]; Lund, Soren Peter ^[2]; Hass, Ulla ^[1]

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1. Division of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Morkhoj Bygade 19, DK-2860 Soborg (Denmark)
2. National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lerso Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen O (Denmark)

Octyl Methoxycinnamate (OMC) is a frequently used UV-filter in sunscreens and other cosmetics. The aim of the present study was to address the potential endocrine disrupting properties of OMC, and to investigate how OMC induced changes in thyroid hormone levels would be related to the neurological development of treated offspring. Groups of 14-18 pregnant Wistar rats were dosed with 0, 500, 750 or 1000 mg OMC/kg bw/day during gestation and lactation. Serum thyroxine (T{sub 4}), testosterone, estradiol and progesterone levels were measured in dams and offspring. Anogenital distance, nipple retention, postnatal growth and timing of sexual maturation were assessed. On postnatal day 16, gene expression in prostate and testes, and weight and histopathology of the thyroid gland, liver, adrenals, prostate, testes, epididymis and ovaries were measured. After weaning, offspring were evaluated in a battery of behavioral and neurophysiological tests, including tests of activity, startle response, cognitive and auditory function. In adult animals, reproductive organ weights and semen quality were investigated. Thyroxine (T{sub 4}) levels showed a very marked decrease during the dosing period in all dosed dams, but were less severely affected in the offspring. On postnatal day 16, high dose male offspring showed reduced relative prostate and testis weights, and a dose-dependent decrease in testosterone levels. In OMC exposed female offspring, motor activity levels were decreased, while low and high dose males showed improved spatial learning abilities. The observed behavioral changes were probably not mediated solely by early T{sub 4} deficiencies, as the observed effects differed from those seen in other studies of developmental hypothyroxinemia. At eight months of age, sperm counts were reduced in all three OMC-dosed groups, and prostate weights were reduced in the highest dose group. Taken together, these results indicate that perinatal OMC-exposure can affect both the reproductive and neurological development of rat offspring, which may be a cause of concern, as humans are systematically exposed to the compound through usage of sunscreens and other cosmetics.

• OSTI ID: 21535225
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 250, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2010.10.031; PII: S0041-008X(10)00424-2; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0041-008X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ACTIVITY LEVELS
ADULTS
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
DAMS
DOSES
FEMALES
GENES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LACTATION
LIVER
MALES
MATURATION
OVARIES
PROGENY
PROGESTERONE
PROSTATE
RATS
TESTES
TESTOSTERONE
THYROXINE
AGE GROUPS
AMINO ACIDS
ANDROGENS
ANDROSTANES
ANIMALS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
FEMALE GENITALS
GLANDS
GONADS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC IODINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
POPULATIONS
PREGNANES
PROTEINS
RODENTS
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
THYROID HORMONES
VERTEBRATES