Effect of in vitro exposure to benzo[a]pyrene, a component of cigarette smoke, on folliculogenesis, steroidogenesis and oocyte nuclear maturation

We previoulsy quantified the concentration of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in the follicular fluid of women exposed to mainstream and/or sidestream cigarette smoke. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of B[a]P-exposure, at concentrations representative of follicluar fluid concentrations, on folliculogenesis, on gonadal steroid and anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) output, oocyte growth, and nuclear maturation. Follicles (100–130 μm) isolated from ovaries of F1 hybrid (C57BL/6j×CBA/Ca) mice were cultured for 13 days in increasing concentrations of B[a]P (0 ng/ml (control) to 45 ng/ml). B[a]P treatment inhibited (p < 0.05) antral follicle development, decreased estradiol output and follicle survival at the 45.0 ng/ml dose. B[a]P exposure decreased AMH output overall during preantral (p = 0.014) and antral (p = 0.026) follicle development but had no effect on progesterone output or oocyte growth and nuclear maturation in surviving follicles. These data suggest that B[a]P is an important toxic component of cigarette smoke that adversely affects follicular development and survival.