Effects of perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the reproductive system of F3 generation male rodents: a meta-analysis

To explore the relationship between perinatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the male reproductive system of F3 generation, and to evaluate the toxicological effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the reproductive system of F3 generation male rodents. PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched to obtain the studies; overall risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to evaluate the relationship between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and reproductive system damage in F3 generation male rodents. Nine studies were included for analysis. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are significantly associated with the reproductive system of male rodents of F3 generation, especially the testis (RR = 3.13, 95% CI: 2.05, 4.76), prostate (RR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.27, 4.00), and kidney (RR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.77, 4.52), but the current analysis does not prove that EDCs are the adverse factors for puberty abnormalities. The results indicated that the overall associations between atrazine (RR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.10, 8.51, P = 0.032), DDT (RR = 6.26, 95% CI: 1.56, 25.08, P = 0.010), pesticide and insect repellent mixture (permethrin and DEET) (RR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.34, 3.69, P = 0.002), and vinclozolin (RR = 4.71, 95% CI: 2.74, 8.10, P = 0.000) and reproductive system damage in F3 generation male rodents were statistically significant. Our study indicated that EDCs have an atavistic effect on the male reproductive system, and we should pay attention to the long-term effects of environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors in future generations.