Prenatal DES and lesions of testis and epididymis

Lesions of testis and epididymis associated with prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure, 1988

Study Abstracts

Cryptorchidism and retention of Mullerian duct structures occur with high frequency among the male offspring of CD-1 mice treated with 100 ,ug diethylstilbestrol/kg body weight on days 9 through 16 of pregnancy. Hyperplasia of the rete testis and Mullerian duct structures were found in many of the DES treated male mice, as was a low but significant number of reproductive tract neoplasms.

In addition to the statistically significant increase in hyperplasia in DES-treated animals, neoplasms of the rete testis occurred in 11 of 233 mice (5%). These lesions had the morphological features of human rete testis adenocarcinomas, usually being papillary, but sometimes with tubular or sertoliform appearing areas.

In summary, the occurrence of several types of rare neoplasms in the male offspring of mice that received DES during pregnancy suggests that although the neoplasms are expressed later in life, interference with normal development at an early stage may be necessary for their development.

References

  • Lesions of testis and epididymis associated with prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure, Environmental Health Perspectives, NCBI PubMed, PMC1474522, 1988 Apr.
  • Epididymis featured image med.yale.
DES DIETHYLSTILBESTROL RESOURCES

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