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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 21(5)

Semen parameters, fertility and testosterone levels in male rats exposed prenatally to betamethasone

Renata C. Piffer A B , Patrícia C. Garcia A B , Daniela C. C. Gerardin B , Wilma G. Kempinas C and Oduvaldo C. M. Pereira A B D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Medical Clinics, Botucatu Medical School, Sao Paulo State University–UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

B Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University–UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

C Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University–UNESP, 18618-000 Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

D Corresponding author. Email: pereira@ibb.unesp.br

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 21(5) 634-639 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD08203
Submitted: 20 September 2008  Accepted: 20 March 2009   Published: 18 May 2009

Abstract

The present study investigated the long-term effects of prenatal betamethasone exposure on sperm quality and count, fertility and plasma testosterone levels in adult male rats. Pregnant rats received 0.1 mg kg–1 betamethasone on Days 12, 13, 18 and 19 of pregnancy. This treatment impaired sperm quality, sperm production, fertility and plasma testosterone levels in adult male offspring compared to the control group. Thus, the results of the present study indicate that the long-term effects of prenatal betamethasone exposure may be deleterious to offspring. The consequent decrease in testosterone production during adulthood, in association with damaged semen parameters, may explain for the observed decrease in the capacity of adult male offspring to themselves generate viable descendants.

Additional keywords: reproduction, sperm.


Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr Eunice Oba (Department of Animal Reproduction, UNESP) for help with determination of testosterone levles. This study was supported financially by fellowships from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) to RCP (no. 142388/2004–1) and FAPESP to O.C.M.P. (no. 06/57038–6).


References

Amann, R. P. (1986). Detection of alterations in testicular and epididymal function in laboratory animals. Environ. Health Perspect. 70, 149–158.
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Zenick H., Clegg E. D., Perreault S. D., Klinefelter G. R., and Gray L. E. (1994). Assessment of male reproductive toxicology. In ‘Principles and Methods of Toxicology’. (Ed. A. W. Hayes.) pp. 949. (Raven Press: New York.)