NEONATAL ADMINISTRATION OF INSECTICIDE CHLORDECONE AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPRODUCTIVE-TRACT IN THE FEMALE MOUSE

One-day-old female mice received a total of 10 ip injections of sesame oil, estradiol 17β or the insecticide chlordecone (Kepone). The doses of estradiol 17β of 10 μg and chlordecone of 0.015, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.125 mg in 0.05 ml sesame oil were injected daily. The higher chlordecone doses of 0.18 and 0.25 mg were injected daily during the first 4 days and every 2 days for the remaining six injections. At least five neonates receiving estradiol and different chlordecone doses were terminated after every two injections, the last termination taking place after the 10th injection. The mice injected with sesame oil only were terminated at 12 days of age. All doses of chlordecone produced distinct morphological alterations in the epithelium lining both the vagina and uterus. The changes in the neonatal reproductive tract appeared dose related in that increased doses of administered chlordecone accelerated development of the vaginal epithelium leading to keratinization while cellular hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and glandular formation were observed in the uterus. These changes appeared identical to the developmental changes induced by the estradiol. © 1979.