Effect of Pre-pubertal Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid on Developmental Landmarks in F1 Generation Rats: Protective Role of Resveratrol

In the present study, healthy male Wistar strain albino rats at prepubertal age (23 days old; body weight 35g to 38g) were randomly divided into 4 groups of ten rats each. Rats in group I, did not receive any treatment while rats in groups II, III, IV received (via oral route, gavage) resveratrol (RES: 20mg/kg/day), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA: 20mg/kg/day) and combination of PFOA +RES from day 23 to 56 and maintained up to 90 days. After completion of experimental period, rats from control and treated groups were cohabited with virgin female rats. Pregnant rats were maintained separately and after gestation period, all the rats were allowed to deliver pups. During their weaning period and after completion of weaning period, developmental landmarks in F1 generation pups were investigated to assess the parental mediated development toxicity. No significant changes in crown rump length, anogenital distance, lower and upper incisor eruption, fur development, pinna unfolding, eye slit opening and eye opening of pups delivered to female cohabited with control and experimental rats. Interestingly we noticed a significant change in delay of testicular descent age in PFOA exposed rats over controls, while RES supplementation reduced testicular decent age in rats exposed to both PFOA and RES. Based on the results, we postulate that the steroidogenic effects of RES could be associated with reduced testicular decent age in F1 rats following PFOA mediated parental developmental toxicity.