Inorganic arsenic exposure during pregnancy affects post-natal growth, blood parameters, and organ development of mice offspring

Abstract

Arsenic is a potentially toxic agent for human health due to its widespread presence in the environment. Arsenic poisoning from drinking contaminated groundwater has become one of Bangladesh's most difficult healthcare problems. However, there is a lack of understanding of the detrimental impact of arsenic toxicity on children of arsenic-exposed parents. This study evaluates the effect of arsenic toxicity on body growth, blood parameters, and organ development of F1 mice. In this study, adult female mice were exposed to sodium arsenite from gestation day 12.5 until parturition, and then the postnatal growth, blood indices, and organ development were assessed. The result showed that from birth to weaning offspring of the sodium arsenite-treated group exhibited significant (p<0.002, p<0.0001, p<0.0001 consecutively) and weaning to sexual maturity of female offspring significantly (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.0001 respectively) slower increase in final body weight, total body weight gain, and rate of body weight gain than that of the offspring of the control group. Hematological tests revealed a significant reduction (p<0.03, p<0.02) in RBC and WBC count while significant elevation (p<0.02) in Platelet count, MCV, MCH, and MCHC in offspring of sodium arsenite exposed female mice than the offspring obtained from control female mice. RBS and Triglycerides levels were significantly higher (p<0.05, p<0.0008 respectively), while Alkaline phosphatase level was significantly lower (p<0.02) in the offspring of sodium arsenite-exposed female mice than in the offspring obtained from control female mice. In terms of organ-to-body weight ratio, the female F1 mice from the exposed group demonstrated a significantly lighter (p<0.01) kidney and heart as compared to that of the female F1 mice from the control group. Visual inspection of the organ morphology showed a slightly affected liver, lungs, and testes. Overall, the study suggests that inorganic arsenic exposure of the parent mice exerts harmful effects on the body growth, hematological and biochemical parameters, and organ morphology of the offspring.