Objective  To examine the reproductive damage induced by arsenic in female rats.

Method  Female SD rats were randomly assigned into four groups with six rats each and exposed to sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂) (0, 0.36, 1.44, and 5.77 mg/kg for control and low, middle, and high dose arsenic groups) by oral perfusion for three months. Urinary arsenic (U_As), ovary arsenic (O_As), and serum estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cyclin D1 (CYC-D₁) protein expression levels were determined. The pathological changes of ovary were also observed.

Result  (1) ER, PR, VEGF, and CYC-D₁ were lower in the exposed groups than those in the control group (P<0.01) and decreased with higher doses of arsenic. (2) U_As and O_As were negatively associated with ER, PR, VEGF, and CYC-D₁ (P<0.05); ER was positively associated with PR, VEGF, and CYC-D₁ (P<0.05). (3) Under HE staining and light microscope, follicular atresia and collapse were observed in the ovary of rats treated with middle or high dose arsenic, and large amounts of stromal cells were arranged in a stone-like or spindle-like form.

Conclusion  ER-PR/VEGF/CYC-D₁ pathways may participate in the reproductive damage caused by arsenic exposure. Follicular atresia and collapse and stromal cell hyperplasia are major pathological changes.