Ovarian dysfunctions in adult female rat offspring born to mothers perinatally exposed to low doses of bisphenol A

Abstract

The study of oral exposure to the environmental estrogen bisphenol A (BPA) during the perinatal periodand its effects on ovarian functionality in adulthood has generated special interest. Thus, our objectivewas to investigate ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis in adult female rat offspring born tomothers exposed to low doses of BPA (BPA50: 50 mg/kg day; BPA0.5: 0.5 mg/kg day) by the oral routeduring gestation and breastfeeding. Ovaries from both BPA-treated groups showed reduced primordialfollicle recruitment and a greater number of corpora lutea, indicating an increased number of ovulatedoocytes, coupled with higher levels of mRNA expression of 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and serumprogesterone. BPA50-treated animals had lower expression of androgen receptor (AR) at different stagesof the growing follicle population. BPA0.5-treated rats evidenced an imbalance of AR expression betweenprimordial/primary follicles, with higher mRNA-follicle-stimulating hormone receptor expression. Theseresults add to the growing evidence that folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis are targets of BPA withinthe ovary.