The Open Toxicology Journal

2009, 3 : 39-46
Published online 2009 April 17. DOI: 10.2174/1874340400903010039
Publisher ID: TOTOXIJ-3-39

Ethylene Dichloride Disruption of Fertility in Male Mice

Harold J. Daigle , Jr , Derek N. Cole , J. Andrew Carlson , William R. Lee and Vincent L. Wilson
Department of Enviromental Sciences, 1279 Energy, Coast & Enviroment Bldg., Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA

ABSTRACT

Ethylene dichloride (EDC) is a high use compound in chemical industry today. Although a potent alkylating agent and carcinogen, EDC has not been associated previously with adverse fertility consequences. Intraperitoneal 5 to 40 mg/kg once a day for five days in C57BL/6 mice rendered males infertile for 6 months and longer. Two of three mice treated with EDC at 5 mg/kg recovered to fertility after a 3 and 5-week sterile period, respectively. Significant testicular pathology was evident within 8 days post treatment with EDC, which progressed to resemble Sertoli Cell-Only syndrome. Although the observed effects on Leydig cell populations were equivocal, a precipitous loss of spermatogonia was evident with increasing time post EDC treatment for mice dosed with either 5 or 10 mg/kg of EDC. These results suggest that intraperitoneal EDC adversely impacts the testes and spermatogenesis in mice.

Keywords:

Ethylene dichloride, dihaloethane, testiscular toxicity, spermatogenesis.