The effects of environmental chemicals on reproductive function

Over the last 15 years I have been involved in a series of projects that have investigated the effects of chemicals that are found within our environment on physiological function.  These studies have ranged from the investigation of the effects of defined exposure to single chemicals such as octylphenol, Bisphenol A and PCB 153 to the effects of complex mixtures of chemicals that are potentially more representative of the 'environmental exposure' to which we, as humans are all exposed on a daily basis, throughout our lives.  The work has looked at the effects of pre- and post natal exposure scenarios and has used a variety of animal models including sheep and glaucous gulls.

The work has been conducted in collaboration with colleagues in

  • University College Dublin
  • The University of Oslo Veterinary School
  • The James Hutton Institute Aberdeen
  • The University of Aberdeen
  • The University of Edinburgh
  • The Norwegian Polar Institute

Publications

  • Bellingham M, McKinnell C, Fowler PA, Amezaga MR, Zhang Z, Rhind SM, Cotinot C, Mandon-Pepin B, Evans NP, Sharpe RM. 2011  Foetal and post-natal exposure of sheep to sewage sludge chemicals disrupts sperm production in adulthood in a subset of animals International Journal of Andrology, In Press DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2011.01234.x
  • Rhind SM, Evans NP, Bellingham M, Sharpe RM, Cotinot C, Mandon-Pepin B, Loup B, Sinclair KD, Lea RG, Pocar P, Fischer B, van der Zalm E, Hart K, Schmidt J-S, Amezaga MR, Fowler PA. 2010 Maternal and fetal tissue accumulation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) following exposure to sewage sludge-treated pastures before or after conception. Journal of Environmental Monitoring 12;1582-1593
  • Bellingham M, Fowler PA, Amezaga MR, Rhind SM, Corinne Cotinot C, Mandon-Pepin B,. Sharpe RM, Evans NP 2010 Foetal Hypothalamic and Pituitary Expression of Gonadotrophin-Releasing Hormone and Galanin Systems is Disturbed by Exposure to Sewage Sludge Chemicals via Maternal Ingestion. J Neuroendocrinology 22: 527-533
  • Rhind SM, Evans NP, Bellingham M, Sharpe RM, Cotinot C, Mandon-Pepin B, Loup B, Sinclair KD, Lea RG, Pocar P, Fischer B, van der Zalm E, Hart K, Schmidt JS, Amezaga MR, Fowler PA 2010  Effects of environmental pollutants on the reproduction and welfare of ruminants. Animal 4: 1227-1239   
  • Verboven N, Verreault J, Letcher RJ, Gabrielsen GW, Evans NP. 2010 Adrenocortical function of Arctic-breeding glaucous gulls in relation to persistent organic pollutants. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 166: 25-32
  • Bellingham M, Fowler PA, Amezaga MR, Rhind SR, Cotinot C, Mandon-Pepin B, Sharpe RM, Evans NP. 2009 Exposure to a Complex Cocktail of Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Compounds Disturbs the KiSS-1/GPR54 System in Ovine Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland.  Environemental Health Perspectives 117;10 1556-1562
  • Verboven N, Verreault J, Robert J. Letcher RL, Gabrielsen GW, Evans NP 2009  Nest temperature and parental behaviour of Arctic-breeding glaucous gulls exposed to persistent organic pollutants. Animal Behaviour. 77;411-418
  • Verboven N, Verreault J, Letcher RJ, Gabrielsen GW, Evans NP. 2009 Differential investment in eggs by arctic-breeding glaucous gulls exposed to persistent organic pollutants. The Auk 126:123-133
  • Verboven N, Verreault J, Letcher RJ, Gabrielsen GW, Evans NP 2008 Maternally derived testosterone and 17-estradiol in the eggs of Arcticbreeding glaucous gulls in relation to persistent organic pollutants. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C, 148; 143-151
  • Fowler PA, Dorà NJ,  McFerran H, Amezaga MR, Miller DW, Lea RG, Cash P, McNeilly AS, Evans NP, Cotinot C, Sharpe RM, Rhind SM 2008 In-utero exposure to a low dose of an environmentally-relevant cocktail of pollutants disrupts fetal ovarian development.  Molecular Human reproduction 14: 269-280
  • Sweeney T, Fox J, Robertson L, Kelly G, Duffy P, Lonergan P, O'Doherty J, Roche JF, Evans NP.  2007 Postnatal exposure to octylphenol decreases semen quality in the adult ram  Theriogenology 67: 1068-1075 2007
  • Savabieasfahani M, Kannan K, Astapova O, Evans NP, Padmanabhan V 2006 Developmental programming: differential effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenol-a or methoxychlor on reproductive function.  Endocrinology 147: 5956-5966 2006
  • Evans NP, North T, Dye S, Sweeney T  2003 Differential effects of the xenoestrogens Bisphenol-A and Octylphenol on gonadotropin secretion, in prepubertal ewe lambs. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 26;61-73
  • Morrison, AG, Callanan, JJ, Evans, NP Sweeney T  2003  Effects of xenoestrogens on the pathology and oestrogen receptor distribution in the uterus and cervix of ewe lambs. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 25;329-343
  • Wright C, Evans ACO, Evans NP, Duffy P, Fox J, Boland MP, Roche JF, Sweeney T 2002 Effect of Maternal Exposure to the Environmental Estrogen, Octylphenol, During Fetal and/or Postnatal Life on Onset of Puberty, Endocrine Status, and Ovarian Follicular Dynamics in Ewe Lambs. Biology of Reproduction 67: 1734-1740