Citation:

GREY, B. E., B. D. BARBEE, K. DAS, J. NORWOOD, C. S. LAU, AND J. M. ROGERS. EFFECTS ON BIRTH WEIGHT AND ADULT HEALTH IN RATS PRENATALLY EXPOSED TO TOXICANTS OR UNDERNUTRITION. Presented at Society of Toxicology, San Diego, CA, March 05 - 09, 2006.

Description:

Low fetal weight is a sensitive indicator of developmental toxicity in animal studies. While low birth weight may be permanent or transitory, the long-term effects of low birth weight on adult health have not been elucidated. Previous research has shown in humans an inverse relationship between birth weight and risk of adult diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. In this study, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, 18.75 mg/kg, GD 2-6), dexamethasone (DEX, 0.2 mg/kg, GD 14-20), atrazine (ATR, 125 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg, GD 14-20), or undernutrition (UNUT, 50% of normal rat diet GD 2-21). Controls were dosed with appropriate vehicle. At birth, all pups were cross fostered to untreated dams. All prenatally exposed pups had significantly lower birth weights than controls, and this persisted through postnatal day (PD) 21. By PD 112, body weights of prenatally exposed rats were not significantly different from control rats. Two indicators of adult diseases are blood pressure and serum glucose level. On PD 56, tail blood pressure was measured. Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated in male offspring of dams exposed to PFOS (13% increase) or UNUT (27% increase). On PD 70 and PD 112, a fasting serum samples were collected and rats were given a 1 g/kg D-glucose challenge. Serial serum samples were collected over 2 hours, and no significant differences between the prenatally exposed rats and controls were observed. In conclusion, we have found that low birth weight was associated with elevated blood pressure for some, but not all adverse prenatal environments. This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.

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