Effects of Nonylphenol Subchronic Exposure on Rat Pancreas' Structure and Function

Objective To investigate the Subchronic toxicity of nonylphenol on rat pancreas.

Methods 32 male SD rats (6-week-old) were randomly divided into four groups (each group contained 8 rats), and gavaged with nonylphenol at the doses of 0 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg and 180 mg/kg daily for 90 days.At the end of the experiment, fasting plasma glucose, serum insulin, glucagon and insulin in the pancreas were examined.Isolated islets were used for insulin secretion experiments.Hepatic glycogen was evaluated by ELISA.Immunohistochemistry was used to estimate islet size, islet relative β cell volume, islet relative α cell volume and the ratio of β to α cells.

Results Compared with the control group (0), significant decreases in body weight, serum insulin, insulin secretion of islets, hepatic glycogen and islet size were found, while the islet relative β cell volume increased significantly on the rats treated with 180 mg/kg nonylphenol.However, the serum glucagon, insulin in the pancreas and hepatic glycogen of rats treated with 60 mg/kg nonylphenol increased significantly.No significant differences in fasting plasma glucose, islet relative α cell volume and the ratio of β to α cells were found between control and treatment groups.

Conclusion Subchronic exposure to nonylphenol could induce some adverse effects on islet morphology and pancreatic function.