Histological changes in the uterus of the hens after embryonic exposure to bisphenol A and diethylstilbestrol

Abstract

Many employed chemicals in industries have estrogenic hormone effects on organisms, and these are called as environmental estrogens. Environmental estrogens have adverse effects on development and function of reproductive organs of the birds. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the best known environmental estrogens widely found in plastic products. In this study, we injected BPA and the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) in ovo and then examined and compared the effects of those on the uteri (shell gland) of the adult hens by histological methods. Five groups have been designed in the current study. Only vehicle substance was given in ovo to the control group and BPA (67 or 134 mu g/g egg) and DES (0.02 or 0.2 mu g/g egg) were administered in the experimental groups. Tissue specimens were taken from uteri of hens at 21 weeks of age, prior to the laying period. Estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) was immunohistochemically stained. It was observed that the hatching proportion in BPA (67 mu g and 134 mu g/g) was lesser than the other groups (P < 0.01). Uterine tubular glandular density and thickness of tunica mucosa were found to have reduced (P < 0.01) in BPA (134 mu g/g) and DES (0.2 mu g/g) groups, in comparison with those of the control and the other experimental groups. Uterine gland epithelium revealed positive immunoreaction for ER alpha. These findings suggested that administration of BPA and DES at high doses affected embryonic development in a negative way, and this adverse effect was seen less in adult period.