Table 5.
Persistent environmental contaminant-induced effects in model animals across generations.
| Species | Sex | Exposure | Dose | Effects across Generations | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rat | Male | TCDD from E8 to E14 |
100 ng/kg BW */day | F3: sperm epigenome alteration; reduction of testosterone levels | [96] |
| Rat | Male | A1221 (mixture of PCBs) from E8 to E18 |
1 mg/kg BW/day | F1 and F3: epigenetic alterations in spermatozoa (DMRs modified) | [120] |
| Rat | Male | POP mixture (polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides) | 500 µg/kg BW three times a week for 5 weeks, before mating through mating and parturition of the F1 litters | F1: decreased conception; decreased fertility; reduced number of fetuses; low sperm quality; advanced puberty; lower testosterone concentration; small epididymis; low prostate weights; reduced sperm counts; reduced sperm motility; hyper-methylation of Dnmt3l gene in spermatozoa F2: decreased fertility reduced number of fetuses; low sperm quality; delayed puberty; lower testosterone concentration; small epididymis; low prostate weights; reduced sperm counts; hypo-methylation of Dnmt3l gene in spermatozoa F3: hypo-methylation of Dnmt3l gene in spermatozoa |
[130] |
| Mouse | Male | PCBs (mixture of two congeners) from E0 to PND + 21 |
0, 1, 10, and 100 µg PCB/kg BW/day | F1 and F2: reduced testis weight (all doses); reduced seminiferous tubule diameter (all doses); low sperm viability (all doses); reduced fertility (all doses) | [129] |
| Rat | Female | TCDD from E8 to E14 |
100 ng/kg BW/day | F1: primordial follicle loss; polycystic ovary disease | [96] |
| Mouse | Female | TCDD on E15.5 | 10 µg/kg BW/day | F3: adenomyosis; reduced fertility; dysmenorrhea; preterm birth | [131,132] |
| Rat | Female | A1221 from E16 to E18 | 1 mg/kg BW/day | F2 and F3: altered serum progesterone and estradiol levels; low fertility | [133] |
| Mouse | Female | PCBs (mixture of two congeners) from E0 to PND 21 |
0, 1, 10, and 100 µg/kg BW/day | F1: reduced ovary weight (all doses); low oocyte developmental capacity (100 µg/kg); increased follicular atresia (all doses); smaller litters (all doses) | [129] |
+ PND: postnatal day; * BW: body weight.