Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print March 21, 2007, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.107.002550
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 28, No. 4, July/August 2007
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.107.002550

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Chronic Exposure to Low Levels of Dibromoacetic Acid, a Water Disinfection By-product, Adversely Affects Reproductive Function in Male Rabbits

D. N. R. VEERAMACHANENI*, J. S. PALMER* AND G. R. KLINEFELTER{dagger}

From the * Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado; and the {dagger} Reproductive Toxicology Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratories, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Correspondence to: Dr Veeramachaneni, Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1683 (e-mail: D_N_Rao.Veeramachaneni{at}colostate.edu).


Four groups (minimum of 10/dose group) of male Dutch-belted rabbits were treated daily with dibromoacetic acid (DBA) via drinking water beginning in utero from gestation day 15 to adulthood; target dosages were 1, 5, and 50 mg DBA/kg body weight. Developmental, prepubertal as well as postpubertal reproductive sequelae were evaluated. One (out of 22), 2 (out of 32), and 1 (out of 21) male offspring in the 1, 5, and 50 mg DBA/kg groups were unilaterally cryptorchid. There were no significant differences in serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone (basal concentrations or in response to exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone) in both prepubertal and adult rabbits. Chronic exposure to DBA adversely affected the mating abilities of some rabbits. The number of sperm produced was not affected, but spermiogenesis was disrupted, resulting in unique sperm acrosomal-nuclear malformations even at the 1-mg dose level. Concentrations of SP22, a specific sperm membrane fertility protein, in detergent extracts of ejaculated sperm were significantly lower (P < .05) in all DBA-treated groups compared with controls. The conception rates following artificial insemination of a constant number of sperm for 1, 5, and 50 mg DBA/kg groups were 55% (10/18), 65% (13/20), and 55% (9/16), respectively, vs 85% (17/20) for control group. Histologic lesions in testes characterized by spermatogenic arrest predominantly at the round spermatid stage, pyknosis of differentiating germ cells, and ultimate degeneration and desquamation leaving focal vacuolation in seminiferous epithelium were evident in DBA-treated groups. Thus, male rabbits exhibit reproductive toxicity with exposure to DBA during reproductive development at dosages as low as 1 mg/kg body weight.

     Key words: Testis, acrosomal dysgenesis, sexual dysfunction, infertility, SP22






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Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Andrology.