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Published on: November 1, 2013
The effects of triclosan on ovarian reserve and fecundity in a mouse model
Katherine M Baker1, Julia N McAdams2, Morgan F Woodman-Sousa3
1Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital and Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Objective:
To investigate the acute and chronic effects of triclosan (TCS) exposure on ovarian reserve dynamics and reproductive potential in a mouse model.
Design:
Female C57BL/6 mice were given a diet containing TCS 10 mg/kg per day or a control diet starting on postnatal day (PND) 30. Ovaries were collected at PND 37, 60, 90, 210, 300, and 360, reflecting 1 week, 1 month, 2 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month periods of exposure. Ovarian follicular compositions were analyzed in both groups at all exposure time points. Animals from both groups at the same exposure time groups were bred with age-matched control C57BL/6 male mice and the number of litters, pups per litter, interlitter interval, and number of deceased pups were recorded.
Subjects:
C57BL/6 mice.
Exposure:
Triclosan 10 mg/kg per day diet or control diet.
Main Outcome Measures:
Ovarian follicular compositions were analyzed in TCS-treated mice compared with controls at both acute and chronic exposure time points. Animals from both exposure groups were bred and the number of litters, pups per litter, interlitter time interval, and number of deceased pups were analyzed.
Results:
Primordial follicle density decreases with age in control and TCS-exposed mice with a trend toward an accelerated decline in the PND 90, 300, and 360 TCS-exposed groups. The TCS-exposed mice at PND 37 and PND 60 both exhibit a trend toward decreased growing follicle (primary and secondary) densities. At PND 300 and 360, there are decreased follicular densities across all follicle types in the TCS-exposed compared with control groups with lower antral follicle densities (0.27 vs. 0.04 at PND 300 and 0.22 vs. 0.06 at PND 360). Litter sizes were similar between groups across all time points. The length of time between first and fifth litters is increased in the TCS-exposed group at PND 37 (116 days vs. 135.2 days), with similar trends seen in the PND 60 (114.7 days vs. 122.8 days) and PND 90 (140.8 vs. 158.8 days) groups, which may suggest longer cycles and reduced rates of ovulation in midreproductive life. No increase in stillbirth was seen in the TCS-exposure groups compared with controls.
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates that TCS exposure may accelerate normal age-related ovarian follicular loss with decreased antral follicle density at chronic exposure timepoints. Triclosan exposure may also impact estrous cycles at midreproductive age.
