Sexually dimorphic impact of preconceptional and gestational exposure to a real-life environmental chemical mixture (biosolids) on offspring growth dynamics and puberty in sheep

Evans, Neil P.; Bellingham, Michelle; Elcombe, Christopher S.; Ghasemzadeh-Hasankolaei, Mohammad; Lea, Richard G.; Sinclair, Kevin D.; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

Abstract

Humans are ubiquitously exposed to complex mixtures of environmental chemicals (ECs). This study characterised changes in post-natal and peripubertal growth, and the activation of the reproductive axis, in male and female offspring of sheep exposed to a translationally relevant EC mixture (in biosolids), during pregnancy. Birthweight in both sexes was unaffected by gestational biosolids exposure. In contrast to females (unaffected), bodyweight in biosolids males was significantly lower than controls across the peripubertal period, however, they exhibited catch-up growth eventually surpassing controls. Despite weighing less, testosterone concentrations were elevated earlier, indicative of early puberty in the biosolids males. This contrasted with females in which the mean date of puberty (first progesterone cycle) was delayed. These results demonstrate that developmental EC-mixture exposure has sexually dimorphic effects on growth, puberty and the relationship between body size and puberty. Such programmed metabolic/reproductive effects could have significant impacts on human health and wellbeing.

Citation

Evans, N. P., Bellingham, M., Elcombe, C. S., Ghasemzadeh-Hasankolaei, M., Lea, R. G., Sinclair, K. D., & Padmanabhan, V. (2023). Sexually dimorphic impact of preconceptional and gestational exposure to a real-life environmental chemical mixture (biosolids) on offspring growth dynamics and puberty in sheep. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 102, Article 104257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2023.104257

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 29, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 1, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-09
• Deposit Date: Sep 8, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 19, 2023
• Journal: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology
• Print ISSN: 1382-6689
• Electronic ISSN: 1872-7077
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 102
• Article Number: 104257
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2023.104257
• Keywords: Developmental toxicity; Environmental chemicals; Sexually dimorphic; Puberty; Bodyweight
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/25074706
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668923001990?via%3Dihub