The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sub-acute exposure to inhaled @entity3014 ( @entity3015 ) on testicular steroidogenesis and epididymal function in Fisher 344 @entity35 . Animals were assigned randomly to two control groups and one experimental group for each exposure regimen. Treatment consisted of sub-acute exposure of @entity35 via inhalation to 25, 75, and 100 microg @entity3015 /m(3), 4 h daily for 10 days. Control animals were either exposed to @entity17244 (CB; sham) to control for inert @entity3015 carrier or they remained unexposed (UNC). Blood samples were collected immediately after the cessation of exposures (time 0) and at 24, 48, and 72 h post-cessation of exposure, to assess the effect of bioavailable @entity3015 on systemic @entity251 and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Progressive sperm motility of stored sperm (cauda epididymal sperm) was determined microscopically, while density of stored sperm was determined by hemocytometric counting. Progressive motility of stored sperm was reduced in @entity35 exposed to 75 and 100 microg @entity3015 /m(3) compared with their counterparts that were exposed to 25 microg @entity3015 /m(3) or controls. Plasma @entity251 concentrations declined as a result of exposure of @entity35 to 75 microg @entity3015 /m(3) from 0 to 48 h post-termination of exposure compared with controls (P<0.05; treatment x time interaction). This decrease was followed subsequently by a compensatory increase in the plasma concentrations of this @entity134 at 72 h post-cessation of exposures compared with previous time periods and controls (P<0.05). Increases in the mean plasma LH concentrations were observed in @entity35 exposed to 75 microg @entity3015 /m(3) compared with controls, throughout the time periods studied (P<0.05; treatment x time interaction). These data suggest that sub-acute exposure to inhaled @entity3015 contributes to reduced @entity251 concentrations and consequently impaired epididymal function of exposed animals.

Disruption of testicular steroidogenesis and epididymal function by inhaled XXXX .

@entity251 :: ('MESH:D013739', 'Chemical') :: ['testosterone'] @entity3014 :: ('MESH:D001564', 'Chemical') :: ['benzo(a)pyrene'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid'] @entity3015 :: ('CHEBI:29022', 'Chemical') :: ['BaP'] @entity17244 :: ('MESH:D053260', 'Chemical') :: ['carbon black'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rats']
@entity3014 :: (MESH:D001564,Chemical) :: ['benzo(a)pyrene']
