Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls affects sexual behavior of rats

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental contaminants that have the potential to disrupt reproduction through a variety of different pathways. In the present study, we investigated the effects of fetal and lactational PCB exposure on reproductive behavior in male and female laboratory rats. These pregnant rats were injected daily with either 2,4,2',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 47) at the dosage of 1 or 20 mg/kg body weight or 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 77) at the dosage of 0.25 or 1 mg/kg body weight or sesame oil (control group) from gestational days 7 to 18. Offspring were then tested for sexual behavior as adults. Exposure to both PCB 77 and PCB 47 reduced the level of sexual receptivity in the female offspring, but had no detectable effects on the sexual behavior of the male offspring. In addition to changes in adult sexual behavior in the females, both PCBs produced a significant increase in the females' anogenital distance, suggesting a modification of androgen responsiveness in females resulting from PCB exposure during development. Similar effects were not seen with the males.