US EPA

2192853 

Journal Article 

Abstract 

Developmental exposure of rats to a reconstituted mixture of PCBs: Effects on conditioned place preference, sweet preference behavior, and sex steroid levels 

Kaya, H; Lilienthal, H; Hany, J; Fastabend, A; Roth-Härer, A; Winneke, G 

2000 

1 

NeuroToxicology
ISSN: 0161-813X
EISSN: 1872-9711 

21 

1-2 

257 

English 

The aim of the present investigation was to examine the dose-response relationship of maternal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls on sex-specific behavioral tasks as well as on sex hormone levels in serum. Female Long-Evans rats were exposed via food containing 0, 5, 20 or 40 ug/g of a reconstituted PCB mixture (Co, RM 5, 20, 40), composed according to the congener pattern found in human breast milk. The exposure period started 50 days prior to mating and was terminated at birth (postnatal day 0 = PND 0). PCB exposure levels were determined in brain and adipose tissue on PND 0 and 21. In addition, serum levels of sex hormones were measured in different life stages. Starting on PND 110, sex-specific sweet preference behavior was examined in male and female offspring. About PND 160, male rats were tested for conditioned place preference (CPP) with testosterone as stimulus. Male PCB-treated rats were feminized in their sweet preference behavior. This effect was dose-dependent and affirms previous results. CPP revealed a preference for the testosterone-paired side in rats from the RM 40-group, thus demonstrating greater affective properties of the hormone in these rats. The behavioral effects were corroborated by serum hormone levels. Testosterone was dose-dependently reduced in PCB-exposed rats until late adulthood (PND 310). Tissue concentrations of PCBs were near human background values. Taken together, maternal exposure to a reconstituted PCB-mixture resulted in long-lasting and dose-dependent alterations of sex-specific behaviors and testosterone levels suggesting influences on sexual differentiation in male rats.