• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.140-145
• /
• 2006

We measured activities of the ubiquitous tripeptide non-protein thiol (L-${\gamma}$-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine), glutathione (GSH), which is believed to playa fundamental role in detoxifying xenobiotics in biological systems, as a metabolic biomarker for benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene and Aroclor 1254 exposure in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Reproductive oysters were exposed to the pollutants for 50 days by the algal vectoring method in which the oysters were fed with concentrated standard algal foods grown in culture media containing Aroclor 1254 (0, 5, 50, 500 ng/g) or benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene (0, 10, 100, 1,000 ng/g). Both pollutants induced maternal GSH activities in 10 days in a dosage-dependent manner (p<0.05), although Aroclor 1254 was stronger. The pollutant-driven GSH elevation persisted for 20 to 30 days depending on the pollutants and concentrations. Thereafter, a drastic decline in the GSH activity was observed due to metabolic failure, after which the oyster GSH remained at low levels throughout the remainder of the experiment. The pollutant exposures influenced maternal reproductive output in terms of fertilization, hatching, and morphology. These results imply that changes in activity of the GST-catalyzing molecule can be used as an oyster biomarker for Aroclor 1254 and benzo(${\alpha}$)pyrene exposure.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.601-607
• /
• 1994

This study was carried out to investigate the potential of phenol to induce embryotoxicity in the Sprague-Dawley rat. Seventy mated rats were distributed among three treated troups, a vehicle control group and a negative control group. Phenol was at dose levels of 20, 60 and 180mg/kg/day adminsistered by gavage to pregnant rats three times per day from days 7 to 12 of gestation. All dams were subjected to the caesarean section on day 20 of gestation. At 120mg/kg, dams exhibited decreased locomotivity. In addition, both weight reduction and retarded ossification of fetuses were observed. There were no signs of maternal toxicity or embryotoxicity at 20 and 60mg/kg. The results show that phenol induces fetal growth retardation at maternally subtoxic dose in rats.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.279-286
• /
• 2010

Objectives : Platinum nanoparticles (PNPs) are potentially useful for sensing, catalysis, and other applications in the biological and medical sciences. However, little is known about PNP toxicity. In this study, adverse effects of PNPs on the postnatal development of mouse pubs were investigated. Methods : PNPs (size: 20 nm) were prepared and orally administered to mice during premating, gestation, and lactation periods (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, and 1 mg/kg). Maternal and pup toxicity were evaluated. Results : PNPs did not affect blood biochemical parameters or mortality in dams during the experimental period. Histopathological signs were not observed and pup number was not different between the control and treated groups. Deformity and stillbirth were not observed in the pups. However, PNPs increased pup mortality and decreased the infant growth rate during the lactation period. Conclusion : PNPs may have adverse effects to the postnatal development of mouse pups.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2019

A common belief is that human milk is sterile. However, the development of culture-independent molecular methods, especially Next Generation Sequencing, has revealed that human milk harbors diverse and rich bacterial communities. Although studies aimed at characterizing the microbiota of human milk have produced different findings, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are presumed to be normal members of the microbiota. Factors that influence variation in the microbiota are unclear; however, the postpartum time, route of delivery, maternal obesity, and health status may be influential. The origin of the microbiota is a hotly debated topic. Human milk bacteria are thought to be introduced through bacterial exposure of the mammary duct during breast feeding and/or the entero-mammary pathway from the maternal gastrointestinal tract. Although the exact mechanism related to the entero-mammary pathway is unknown, it is presumed that bacteria penetrate the intestinal epithelium and then migrate to the mammary gland, dendritic cells, and macrophages. In this review, various relevant studies are introduced.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2007

Recent epidemiologic studies show that gestational exposure to air pollution adversely affects pregnancy outcomes including low birth weight in preform birth. In this study, we evaluated the effect of air pollutants on LBW (low birth weight) on firstborn fetus throughout the gestational period using the birth cohort between 1999 and 2003 in Seoul. Using birth cohort data from the National Statistics Office of Korea we identified 288,346 firstborn births (excluded missing data on lack of information for birth weight and discordance between residential and certificated address from a total of 316,451) during 1999 to 2003 with complete covariate (gender, parity, date of birth, gestational age, parental age and educational level, maternal occupation etc.) and maternal residential history data. Our subjects were defined as more than 37 weeks and less than 44 weeks of completed gestation and we identified 5,457 persons (1.89%) by low birth weight (<2.5 kg) in this study. Using logistic regression, we estimated the risk of mean (entire pregnancy and trimester period) air pollution concentrations for CO, $O_3,\;PM_{10},\;NO_2\;and\;SO_2$. In terms of trimester-specific exposure, we found that some air pollutants exposure in each trimester would increase the risk for LBW. Results also showed that the effect size of air pollutants exposure during the first and third trimester is higher than during the second trimester. In all trimester, the estimated risk of LBW was 1.831 (95% CI=1.573-2.132) with unit increase for CO, 1.139 (95% CI=1.107-1.172) for 50, and 1.009 (95% CI=1.001-1.017) for $O_3$. Our results suggest that exposure during the gestation period to relatively low levels of some air pollutants may be associated with a reduction in birth weight on first-born fetus. These findings implicate the effective risk management strategies should be applied to minimize the public health impacts for pregnant women.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2003

2-Bromopropane (2-BP), a halogenated propane analogue, is a substitute for chlorofluorocarbones (CFCs) which have a great potential to destroy the ozone layer and to warm the earth's environment. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential adverse effects of 2-BP on pregnant dams and embryo-fetal development after maternal exposure during the gestational days (GD) 6 through 17 in ICR mice. The test chemical was administered subcutaneously to pregnant mice at dose levels of 0, 313, 625 or 1,250 mg/kg/day. All dams were subjected to caesarean section on GD 18 and their fetuses were examined for external, visceral and skeletal abnormalities. In the 1,250 mg/kg group, maternal toxicity included an increase in the incidence of abnormal clinical signs and a decrease in the maternal body weight, body weight gain, and corrected body weight. Developmental toxicity included a decrease in the fetal body weight, a reduction in the placental weight, an increase in the fetal skeletal variation and ossification delay. There were no adverse effects on either pregnant dams or embryo-fetal development in the 313 and 625 mg/kg groups. These results suggest that a 12-day subcutaneous dose of 2-BP is embryotoxic at a maternally toxic dose (i.e., 1,250 mg/kg/day) in ICR mice. In the present experimental condition, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of 2-BP is considered to be 625 mg/kg/day for dams and embryo-fetuses, respectively.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2011

Mercury is a toxic, persistent pollutant that bioaccumulates and biomagnifies through food webs. People are exposed to methyhnercruy mainly through their diet, especially through the consumption of freshwater and marine fish and of other animals that consume fish (e.g., marine mammals). All humans are exposed to low levels of mercury. Dietary patterns can increase exposure to a fish-eating population where the fish and seafood are contaminated with mercury. The primary toxicity targets of mercury and mercury compounds are the nervous system, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. It is generally accepted that developing organ systems are most sensitive to the toxic effects of mercury. The fetal-brain mercury levels appear to be significantly higher than the maternal-blood mercury levels, and the developing central nervous system of the fetus is currently regarded as the main system of concern as it demonstrates the greatest sensitivity. The subpopulation that may be at greater risk for mercury toxicity are those exposed to higher levels of methylmercury due to carnivorous fish, including sharks.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 1990

Pregnant Wister rats were given daily subcutaneous administrations of methamphetamine (MAPT; varying doses ranging from 1.0 to 4.5mg/kg) from days 7 to20 of gestation and teratogenic effects have been determined. The teratogenic effects inducible with orally administered caffeine (90mg/kg/day)for the same durations were used as the positive controls. MAPT doses greater than 2.0 mg/kg have suppressed the rate of maternal weight gain. Some of the offsprings (F1) of the prenatal MAPT treated groups had decreased growth rate and delayed development of physical characters and functional reflexes. The male offsprings of the MAPT treated groups had significant decreases in their spontaneous motor activity but had enhanced conditioned avoidance responses. However, the mating performances of these offsprings were not affected. These results indicated that prenatal exposure of MAPT may induce some behavioral teratogenicity in rats.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.147-157
• /
• 1989

To investigate the blood lead concentration, their interrelation, correlation factor and influence on pregnant women and newborn, lead concentration in the maternal blood and umbilical cord blood were determined. Samples were collected from 130 mothers who were living in the Taegu City, during March, 1989. Blood lead concentration was estimated using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer(IL. 551) equipped with Flameless Furnace Atomizer (IL. 665). The mean lead concentration of maternal and cord blood were $17.47{\pm}7.92{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, $15.31{\pm}7.98{\mu}g/d{\ell}$, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the lead concentration of maternal and cord blood, r=0.663, Y=0.667X+3.646. No significant correlation was observed between previous spontaneous abortion and obstetric complication of mother and maternal blood lead concentration. Similarly, no significant correlation was observed between the sex, gestational age of neonate and cord blood lead concentration. But the birth weight of neonate had some negative correlation with cord blood lead concentration. The blood lead concentration of mother who had engaged in manufactures were higher than others and the longer working years were, the higher blood lead concentration were. Significant correlation was observed between husband's occupational exposure to lead and maternal blood lead concentration.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.235-245
• /
• 2006

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) are ubiquitously distributed chemicals that are widely used as plasticizers and also found at low levels in foods. The aims of this study were to determine whether perinatal exposure to DBP, DINP and DEHA could alter normal patterns of neonatal development. Dams were provided with pulverized soy-free diet containing 20, 200, 2,000 and 10,000 ppm of DBP, 40, 400, 4.000 and 20,000 ppm of DINP, or 480, 2,400 and 12,000 ppm of DEHA from gestational day 15 to postnatal day 21. Exposure to the high doses of DBP, DINP and DEHA during gestational period significantly decreased food consumption and body weight gain of dams. These chemicals reduced neonatal body weight as well as that of the after maturation. Also, exposure to DINP of all the doses used and the higher doses (2,400 and 12,000 ppm) of DEHA decreased AGD at PND 1 in male neonates, though that to DBP did not affect AGD in males. In female neonates, an increase in AGD was observed in DBP- and DINP-exposed animals at the highest doses. Moreover, these chemicals affected survival rate of pups at PND 5, and delayed onset of eye opening in all chemica1-exposed groups at PND 17. These results suggest that perinatal exposure to these chemicals may affect the normal development and/or growth of offspring.