Toluene depresses plasma corticosterone in pregnant rats

Karin S Hougaard, Åse Marie Hansen, Ulla Hass, Søren Lund

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Combined exposure to stressors and chemicals may result in synergistic effects. The effects of prenatal exposure to the organic solvent toluene resemble those observed in offspring of gestationally stressed dams, a possible common mechanism being transfer of stress-/toluene-induced increments of corticosteroids from the maternal to the foetal compartment. Pregnant rats were subjected to either 1500 ppm toluene 6 hr/day and/or a schedule of "Chronic mild stress" during the last two weeks of gestation. Exposure to toluene was associated with reduced birth weight and lower maternal weight gain, the latter being enhanced by maternal stress. A depressant effect of toluene on maternal corticosterone was observed, hence the study does not provide immediate evidence that transfer of elevated levels of corticosterone from the maternal to the foetal compartment mediates the effects of prenatal exposure to toluene.
Original languageEnglish
JournalPharmacology & Toxicology
Volume92
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)148-52
Number of pages5
ISSN0901-9928
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2003

Keywords

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Birth Weight
  • Corticosterone
  • Embryonic and Fetal Development
  • Female
  • Male
  • Maternal Exposure
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reproduction
  • Solvents
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Toluene
  • Weight Gain

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