Data from: Environmental levels of oestrogenic and antiandrogenic compounds feminize digit ratios in male rats and their unexposed male progeny

Digit length ratios, especially the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D :
4D), are associated with various pathological and behavioural conditions
in many species including humans and are dependent upon prenatal androgen
to oestrogen balance. It is unknown whether digit ratios are modified by
environmental exposure to ubiquitous endocrine disruptors. We studied the
effect on adult male Wistar rat digit ratios of a gestational exposure to
the oestrogenic and antiandrogenic compounds bisphenol A (BPA), genistein
and vinclozolin, in low doses, and in combination with investigating in
parallel a possible sexual dimorphism of this trait. We also investigated
the effects on the male progeny not exposed during gestation. X-rays were
taken of the left and right forepaws, and 2D–5D proximal to distal phalanx
distances were measured by a standardized procedure based on
semi-automatic image analysis. We provide evidence that there is a sexual
dimorphism of digit ratios in the Wistar rat, and we found that BPA alone
or in combination with genistein and vinclozolin significantly feminized
digit ratios in male rats. Intriguingly, significant feminization of digit
ratios was also found in the unexposed male progeny of males that had been
exposed to compound mixtures. In conclusion, prenatal environmental levels
of endocrine-active substances permanently disrupt digit ratios. Digit
ratio measurement in adults is thus a promising biomarker of prenatal
exposure to low-dose endocrine disruptors in rodents, with potential
implications for future studies in humans.