Diethylstilbestrol-treated adult rats with altered epididymal sperm numbers and sperm motility parameters, but without alterations in sperm production and sperm morphology.
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In this study, we characterized estrogenic effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES) on reproductive parameters in male rats to identify a minimal dose level that alters epididymal and sperm functions but has little or no effect on sperm production and/or spermatogenesis. Adult rats (five animals/group) received s.c. injections of 0.2 ml of corn oil containing DES at a rate of 1.0 mg, 200 microg, 40 microg, 8 microg, 1.6 microg, or 320 ng x rat(-1) x day(-1) for 12 days. The control group received corn oil only. DES effects were similar in the 8-microg group and higher dose groups and included significant (P < or = 0.05) reductions in 1) absolute and relative weights of the head and body of the epididymis (EP), tail of the EP, and seminal vesicle, 2) numbers of sperm in both regions of the EP, and 3) motility characteristics in sperm collected from the tail of the EP. Conversely, no significant changes were observed in relative testis weight, daily sperm production, spermatogenesis, seminiferous epithelial height in stage VII, and sperm morphology. All of the above parameters in the 1.6-microg group (except seminal vesicle weight) and 320-ng group were comparable to those of controls. Plasma testosterone (T) level was reduced to an almost undetectable level in the > or = 8-microg groups and to a very low level in the 1.6-microg group (0.35 vs. 2.36 ng/ml in controls or 320-ng group), but LH level was unaltered. In a parallel fertility study, males received DES at a rate of 40, 8, or 1.6 microg x rat(-1) x day(-1) for 12 days prior to and 12 days during cohabitation (1:1) with untreated females. Of the 15 females cohabited with treated males (5 females/dose), none in the 40-microg and 8-microg groups and 1 in the 1.6-microg group formed a copulatory plug and delivered 8 pups, in contrast to 5/5 copulatory plugs and 13-15 pups/litter in the controls. DES at a rate of 8 microg x rat(-1) x day(-1) for 12 days reduced EP weights, sperm numbers in the EP, and sperm motility patterns but caused minimal to no alterations in daily sperm production, spermatogenesis, or sperm morphology. Factors other than T, or in addition to lower T, may be responsible for DES-induced reproductive disorders (despite lower T, sperm contents and sperm motility patterns in the EP were normal in the 1.6-microg group). Deficits in EP sperm functions and/or sexual behavior (as evident from absence of copulatory plugs) probably accounted for reduced fertility in treated males. (+info)
The phytoestrogen genistein produces acute nitric oxide-dependent dilation of human forearm vasculature with similar potency to 17beta-estradiol.
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BACKGROUND: Genistein, a phytoestrogen, may have estrogenic cardioprotective actions. We investigated whether genistein influences endothelium-dependent vasodilation in forearm vasculature of healthy human subjects and compared the effects of genistein with those of 17beta-estradiol. METHODS AND RESULTS: The brachial arterial was cannulated with a 27-gauge needle for drug infusion. Forearm blood flow responses were measured with strain-gauge plethysmography. Genistein (10 to 300 nmol/min, each dose for 6 minutes) produced a dose-dependent increase in forearm blood flow from 3.4+/-0.3 to 9.6+/-1.3 mL x min(-1) x 100 mL forearm(-1) (mean+/-SEM) in men (n=9, P:<0.0001 by ANOVA). The mean forearm venous concentration of genistein during infusion of the highest dose was 1.8+/-0.3 micromol/L in 6 additional men. Genistein produced a similar increase in blood flow in premenopausal women. Daidzein, another phytoestrogen, was ineffective, but equimolar concentrations of 17beta-estradiol caused similar vasodilation to genistein. Responses to genistein and 17beta-estradiol were inhibited to the same degree by the NO synthase inhibitor N:(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine. A threshold dose of genistein potentiated the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine but not the endothelium-independent vasodilator nitroprusside. CONCLUSIONS: Genistein causes L-arginine/NO-dependent vasodilation in forearm vasculature of human subjects with similar potency to 17beta-estradiol and potentiates endothelium-dependent vasodilation to acetylcholine. (+info)
Estrogenic activity of dental materials and bisphenol-A related chemicals in vitro.
(75/618)
Twenty-eight chemicals used as dental materials and bisphenol-A related chemicals were diluted with DMSO to concentrations ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-3) M and tested for estrogenicity. Bisphenol-A (BPA), bisphenol-F (BPF) and bisphenol-A-bischloroformate (BPACF) showed estrogenic activity using the yeast two-hybrid system, and BPA, BPF, BPACF and bisphenol-S (BPS) showed estrogenic activity using the fluorescence polarization system. However, none of the remaining chemicals and none of the dental materials showed any activity at concentrations between 10(-7) and 10(-3) M. Although BPA, BPF, BPACF, bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate and BPS showed estrogenic activity in the E-screen test, the remaining chemicals did not. Thus, most of the chemicals showed consistent results, either positive or negative, by the three testing methods, while two chemicals showed conflicting results. Further studies, together with in vivo and epidemiological examinations, are required. Elucidation of the structure-activity relationships of these chemicals is also needed to estimate the estrogenicity of a chemical from its structure. (+info)
Analysis of major components and bisphenol A in commercial Bis-GMA and Bis-GMA-based resins using high performance liquid chromatography.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of commercially available Bis-GMA because concerns about Bis-GMA and Bis-GMA-based resins have been recently expressed in dentistry. Four major components and bisphenol A, which is a compound of recent controversy, were quantitatively analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in three commercial Bis-GMA and six Bis-GMA-based composite resins. The contents of genuine Bis-GMA, Iso-bis-GMA, Bis-GMA-H, and Bis-GMA-M as well as the total content of the four monomers were 45.7-57.5%, 19.9-26.2%, 1.8-5.0%, 0.6-15.0% and 83.7-85.6% in the commercial Bis-GMAs, or 3.8-9.1%, 1.7-4.3%, 0.1-0.5%, 0.1-2.0% and 5.8-14.0% in composite resins, respectively. There were some differences in the composition of the major components between domestic and foreign materials. Bisphenol A contents in the unpolymerized composite resins were 1.5-10.2 micrograms/g resin. (+info)
Side-effects of dental materials reported in Scandinavian countries.
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Dental treatment usually involves a wide range of materials which continue to grow in number and complexity. During the last decade there has been an increasing demand for safety evaluation and control of dental materials. Since it is the members of the dental staff who handle the materials in their most reactive states they constitute the main risk category. Bearing this in mind reported side-effects in both patients and dental personnel in Scandinavia are presented. Data from the only two existing national registers for side-effects of dental materials, i.e. those in Norway and Sweden, are thus elucidated. Furthermore, recent mainly Scandinavian publications dealing with the side-effects of dental materials are presented. It can be concluded that a national register on the side-effects of dental materials, apart from revealing information regarding their frequency and nature, may detect changes in the profiles of adverse reactions and also serve as a tool for the post-marketing surveillance of dental materials. (+info)
Detection of bisphenol-A in dental materials by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
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The xenoestrogenic substance bisphenol-A is widely used as a synthetic precursor of resin monomers, such as bisphenol-A diglycidyl methacrylate. Reports describing the release of bisphenol-A from polymerized resin into saliva have aroused considerable concern regarding exposure to xenoestrogen by dental treatment. The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate a reliable methodology of detecting the trace amounts of bisphenol-A in dental materials. Bisphenol-A was separable from bisphenol-A diglycidyl methacrylate, which is often employed as the principal dimethacrylate monomer, by selective extraction with a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. Using this extraction method in combination with a gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry, we have obtained evidence that all unpolymerized materials used in this study were contaminated with bisphenol-A. Quantitative analysis using a deuterium-labeled compound as an internal standard revealed bisphenol-A contents in commercial dental materials ranging from < 1 microgram/g material to about 20 micrograms/g material. The polymerized dental materials released up to 91.4 ng bisphenol-A/g material into phosphate buffered saline during 24-h incubation. These results indicate that bisphenol-A can be released from dental materials, however the leachable amount would be less than 1/1000 of the reported dose (2 micrograms/kg body weight/day) required for xenoestrogenisity in vivo. (+info)
Elution of bisphenol A from composite resin: a model experiment.
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To understand the leaching characteristics of bisphenol A (BPA) from composite resins, we prepared experimental composite resins containing known amounts of BPA and examined the BPA elution from the resins in water and methanol at 37 degrees C. The concentration of BPA in each eluate was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Cumulative BPA release was calculated and plotted against extraction time. The elution of BPA was rapid during a 6-hr period for both solvents, and then declined and continued steadily. Plots of square root of the amount of BPA leached against logarithm of extraction time produced good linear relationships from a 6-hr period thereafter. Extrapolation of the relationship enabled prediction of the amount of BPA to be leached in the long term. The present results suggested that little or no estrogenic effect due to long-term elution of BPA from commercial Bis-GMA-based resins is expected in practice. (+info)
Acid and base-catalyzed hydrolysis of bisphenol A-related compounds.
(80/618)
In order to ascertain whether an estrogenic bisphenol A is produced from bisphenol A-related monomers by chemical-induced hydrolysis and to clarify their hydrolytic mechanisms, bisphenol A dimethacrylate (Bis-DMA) and bisphenol A bis(glycidyl methacrylate) (Bis-GMA) were reacted with phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide in methanol or methanol/water mixed media at 37 degrees C. Amounts of monomethacrylate intermediates as well as bisphenol A (BPA) were determined by the use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and time-conversion curves of hydrolytic products were prepared. BPA and bisphenol A monomethacrylate were produced by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of Bis-DMA. Bis-GMA was partly converted into monomethacrylate by phosphoric acid and into monomethacrylate and 2,2-bis[4-(2,3-dihydroxypropoxy) phenyl]propane (BHP) by hydrochloric acid. Hydrolytic reactions by sodium hydroxide were completed almost within 1 day, resulting in the production of BPA from Bis-DMA, and BHP from Bis-GMA. No BPA was formed from Bis-GMA by chemical-induced hydrolysis. The hydrolytic behaviors of these monomers were discussed. (+info)