摘要：We previously showed that 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (4-nitro- m -cresol, PNMC), a component of diesel exhaust particles and a degradation product of the insecticide fenitrothion, has reproductive toxicity in adult male and immature female Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica ). Here we investigated effects of PNMC on the reproductive toxicity of mature female Japanese quail. The experiment consists of 3 periods of pretreatment, treatment, and post-treatment for 5 d each. The birds were reared, bred naturally for 1 week, and after 5 d of pretreatment, then injected intramuscularly with PNMC at doses 1, 10, or 100 mg/kg body weight daily for 5 d. Body weight, egg weight, and hatchability did not differ among the observation periods. However, at all doses of PNMC, the egg-laying rate showed a modest decrease during the treatment period, with recovery during the post-treatment period. Plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrodiol-17β, were significantly decreased ( p <0.05), and plasma concentrations of progesterone significantly increased ( p <0.05) in birds treated with 10 and 100 mg/kg PNMC. These results suggest that PNMC have acute toxicity, and inhibited LH secretion, disturbing egg-laying in mature female quail. Our findings indicate that PNMC induces endocrine malfunction at the central level and subsequently disrupts reproductive processes in mature female quails.
关键词：3-methyl-4-nitrophenol;diesel exhaust particle;reproductive toxicity;mature Japanese quail
