Evaluation of offspring sex ratio, sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes following exposure to methyl tertiary butyl ether in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats

Authors

  • Leila Khalili Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, PO Box 1731, Postal code 71345, Iran
  • Soghra Gholami Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, PO Box 1731, Postal code 71345, Iran
  • Maryam Ansari-Lari Department of Food Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, PO Box 1731, Postal code 71345, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-580

Keywords:

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), sex ratio, sex hormones, antioxidant enzymes

Abstract

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is an oxygenated fuel additive which has been used widely in many parts of the world. This experiment was performed to determine the effect of MTBE on offspring sex ratio, sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes. A total of 20 adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into four groups and received 0, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg/day MTBE by gavages for 30 consecutive days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken for determination of sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes. Then, male rats were mated with healthy unexposed female rats and sex of offspring was determined after birth. Sex ratio was 0.48, 0.50, 0.43 and 0.50 in 0, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg/day MTBE groups, respectively (P = 0.91). There was significant decreasing trend for luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone in experimental groups (rs = -0.50, P = 0.030 and rs = -0.67, P = 0.002, respectively). No changes were observed for superoxide dismutase. However, decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was observed in all treatment groups compared with control which was significant in 400 mg/kg/day MTBE group (P = 0.016). The present study showed that paternal exposure to oral MTBE has no effect on offspring sex ratio; while, MTBE exposure could exert dose-dependent changes in serum testosterone and LH in treatment groups. The results of the present study, need to be clarified in the future studies.

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Published

2015-01-13

How to Cite

Khalili, L., Gholami, S., & Ansari-Lari, M. (2015). Evaluation of offspring sex ratio, sex hormones and antioxidant enzymes following exposure to methyl tertiary butyl ether in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. EXCLI Journal, 14, 75–82. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-580

Issue

Vol. 14 (2015)

Section

Original articles

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