THE EFFECT OF PHOTOMIREX ON THE IN-VITRO PERFUSED OVARY OF THE RAT

Photomirex, a photodegradation product of the insecticide mirex, is an environmental contaminant that has been identified in Great Lakes fis h, soil, and human adipose tissue. Because of the potential for human exposure, the present study was designed to investigate the short-term effects of photomirex on the in vitro perfused ovary of the rat. Adul t Sprague-Dawley rat ovaries were isolated and perfused for a total of 6 h with Medium 199, Following a 2-h baseline period, 10(-4) M of pho tomirex was administered to the medium. Control ovaries received mediu m or DMSO (vehicle control), Significant effects of perfusion and chem ical intervention were identified using lactate dehydrogenase enzyme, glucose utilization, lactate, pyruvate, and flow:pressure ratio as mar kers of toxicity (P < 0.05), Lactate:pyruvate ratio, glutathione, and oxygen consumption did not demonstrate significant effects. Post hoc t ests showed that there were significant differences between the DMSO photomirex group and the control group (M199) using lactate dehydroge nase as a marker of toxicity. Pyruvate concentration was also reduced significantly after perfusion with DMSO + photomirex compared to M199 only and DMSO only (P < 0.05), Histopathologic changes were not discer nible by light microscopy, These results suggest that metabolic and re spiratory processes of the ovary are acutely sensitive to perturbation with photomirex in the in vitro perfused rat ovary model. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Inc.