You are here:
PRESENTED AT 15TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TRIANGLE CONSORTIUM FOR REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY, CHAPEL HILL, NC, 2/11/2006: CROSS-FOSTER STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF PFOA
Citation:
WOLF, C. J., J. R. THIBODEAUX, C. S. LAU, AND B. D. ABBOTT. PRESENTED AT 15TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TRIANGLE CONSORTIUM FOR REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY, CHAPEL HILL, NC, 2/11/2006: CROSS-FOSTER STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF PFOA. Presented at Triangle Consortium for Reproductive Biology, Chapel Hill, NC, February 11, 2006.
Description:
Perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA), a commercial surfactant, has recently been found in wildlife and human blood. Exposure of pregnant rats and mice to PFOA results in low body weight and poor survival of pups. However, it has not been determined whether the reduction in weight and survival requires exposure in utero, during lactation, or both. This study uses a cross-foster design to address the contribution of each exposure time period on development and survival. Pregnant CD-1 mice were exposed on gestational day (GD) 2?18 to vehicle (water, control), 3 mg PFOA/kg or 5 mg PFOA/kg. Number and weights of pups at birth were recorded and on postnatal day (PND)1 pups were fostered to give pups exposure in utero only (U), lactationally only (L) or both in utero and lactationally (UL). These groups are referred to as control, 3U, 3L, 3UL, 5U, 5L, and 5UL. Foster litters had 10 pups (5 male, 5 female). Pups were weighed on PND1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 17 and 22 (weaning). Dams were killed at weaning and uterine implants counted. Maternal weight gain through GD18 and number of uterine implantation sites did not differ between groups. However, litter size (p< 0.05) and pup weight at birth (p< 0.01) was reduced with exposure to 5 mg/kg, with significant whole litter loss. Foster litter survival was reduced in the 5UL group (p< 0.0001) by PD4 and decreased in this group to 65% of control by PND14. Foster pup weight on PND1 was reduced in the 5U, 5UL and 3UL groups (p< 0.0001, p< 0.0001, p< 0.05). By PD4 and through PD22, pup weight gain was compromised in all groups except 3L, but was more affected in groups exposed in utero compared to groups exposed during lactation (UL>U>L). Our study reveals that in utero exposure to 5 mg/kg PFOA is detrimental to neonatal survival and development. The cross-foster design demonstrated that in utero exposure provides the major contribution to the adverse effects of PFOA and that lactational exposure may be a minor contributor to these outcomes. This abstract does not necessarily reflect USEPA policy.