24-10-2012, 11:55 AM
Developmental Neurobehavioral Effects on JP-8 Jet Fuel on Pups from Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Exposed by Oral Gavage
ABSTRACT
U.S. military personnel are exposed frequently to the jet fuel JP-8 since it became the standardized military fuel. Limited
reproductive studies in rats have been conducted with JP-8. Female rats were dosed with 0, 325. 750 or 1500 mg/kg-day neat
JP-8 by gavage for 21 weeks. including 90 days prior to cohabitation. gestation and lactation. Pup body weights from the high
dose were significantly decreased (p \h0 .05) compared to controls on postnatal days (PNDs) 4 through 21. No reproductive
effects were found in this study including no group differences in testis decent and vaginal patency. Effects of JP-8 exposure
were found to results from developmental neurobehavioral testing. Litters were standardized to four male and four female pups
at PND 4; all eight pups in a litter were tested for surface righting and negative geotaxis. JP%8 did not affect age of onset
for surface righting reflex in pups tested on PND 4. Negative geotaxis abilities. tested on PNDs 5 through B. developed at the
same age for pups in all JP%8 groups; however. all females met the criterion sooner than males. Development of motor
coordination related to swimming was tested in one male and one female pup from each litter every other day from PNDs 6
through 20. A dose-related difference in composite scores for swimming abilities was observed on PNDs 8 and 14. indicating
a delay in development of coordinated motor movements related to the swimming task. On PND 8, pup scores from all doses
were \g20% lower than control scores. On PND 14, composite swimming scores were 8% lower in the 750 and 1500
mg/kg-day dose groups versus controls. Pups were tested in an M swimming maze on PNDs 70 and 77. JP-8 did not affect
the number of trials to criterion on either test date; on PND 77. male pups met the criterion of five errorless trials in fewer
attempts than females.