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Curi TZ, Passoni MT, Lima Tolouei SE, de Araújo Ramos AT, França de Almeira SC, Scinskas ABAF, Romano RM, de Oliveira JM, Spercoski KM, Carvalho Dos Santos A, Dalsenter PR, Koch HM, Martino-Andrade AJ. Reproductive toxicity following in utero and lactational exposure to a human-relevant phthalate mixture in rats. Toxicol Sci 2023; 197:1-15. [PMID: 37788136 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This rodent (Wistar rats) study examined reproductive effects of in utero/lactational exposure to a mixture of 6 antiandrogenic phthalates (PMix): diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, diisopentyl phthalate, butylbenzyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, and diisononyl phthalate. The PMix was defined based on exposure data from pregnant women in Brazil. Experimental groups were established by extrapolating the estimated human dose to rats (0.1 mg/kg/day), followed by up to 3 additional doses corresponding to 5, 1000, and 5000 times the starting rat dose: 0 (control), 0.1, 0.5, 100, and 500 mg/kg/day. The fetal experiment assessed gestational exposure effects on fetal gonads, whereas the postnatal experiment evaluated reproductive parameters in males and females after in utero and lactational exposure. Prenatal exposure decreased fetal testicular testosterone production at 0.5 and 500 mg/kg/day. PMix 500 also reduced mRNA expression of steroidogenesis-related genes, upregulated transcript expression of the retinoic acid-degrading enzyme Cyp26b1, and increased multinucleated gonocytes incidence in fetal testes. Postnatal assessment revealed antiandrogenic effects at the highest dose, including reduced anogenital distance, nipple retention, and decreased weight of reproductive organs. Early puberty onset (preputial separation) was observed at the lowest dose in males. In contrast, females did not show significant changes in fetal and adult endpoints. Overall, the PMix recapitulated early and late male rat phthalate syndrome phenotypes at the highest dose, but also induced some subtle changes at lower doses, which warrant confirmation and mechanistic assessments. Our data support the use of epidemiologically defined mixtures for exposure risk assessments over traditional toxicological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Zauer Curi
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Marcella Tapias Passoni
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Sara Emilia Lima Tolouei
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Anderson Tadeu de Araújo Ramos
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Samara Christina França de Almeira
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Anna Beatriz Abreu Ferraz Scinskas
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Renata Marino Romano
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR 85040-167, Brazil
| | - Jeane Maria de Oliveira
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR 85040-167, Brazil
| | | | - Ariany Carvalho Dos Santos
- Histopathology Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, MS 9804-970, Brazil
| | - Paulo Roberto Dalsenter
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Holger Martin Koch
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University-Bochum (IPA), Bochum 44789, Germany
| | - Anderson Joel Martino-Andrade
- Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
- Animal Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
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2
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Yang P, Deng LJ, Xie JY, Li XJ, Wang XN, Sun B, Meng TQ, Xiong CL, Huang YC, Wang YX, Pan A, Chen D, Yang Y. Phthalate exposure with sperm quality among healthy Chinese male adults: The role of sperm cellular function. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 331:121755. [PMID: 37142207 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Adverse male reproduction caused by phthalate ester (PAE) exposure has been well documented in vivo. However, existing evidence from population studies remains inadequate to demonstrate the impact of PAE exposure on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Our present study aimed to explore the potential link between PAE exposure and sperm quality and the possible mediation by sperm mitochondrial and telomere in healthy male adults recruited from the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, China. Nine PAEs were determined in one pooled urine sample prepared from multiple collections during the spermatogenesis period from the same participant. Sperm telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined in sperm samples. The sperm concentration and count per quartile increment in mixture concentrations were -4.10 million/mL (-7.12, -1.08) and -13.52% (-21.62%, -4.59%), respectively. We found one quartile increase in PAE mixture concentrations to be marginally associated with sperm mtDNAcn (β = 0.09, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.19). Mediation analysis showed that sperm mtDNAcn significantly explained 24.6% and 32.5% of the relationships of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) with sperm concentration and sperm count (β = -0.44 million/mL, 95% CI: -0.82, -0.08; β = -1.35, 95% CI: -2.54, -0.26, respectively). Our study provided a novel insight into the mixed effect of PAEs on adverse semen quality and the potential mediation role of sperm mtDNAcn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Yang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Hefei, 230032, PR China
| | - Lang-Jing Deng
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Jin-Ying Xie
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Xiao-Jie Li
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Xiao-Na Wang
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Bin Sun
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Tian-Qing Meng
- Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Cheng-Liang Xiong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Yi-Chao Huang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, PR China
| | - Yi-Xin Wang
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - An Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Da Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, Guangdong Province, PR China
| | - Yan Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; Jieyang Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang, 515200, Guangdong, PR China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
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3
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Bello UM, Madekurozwa MC, Groenewald HB, Arukwe A, Aire TA. Changes in testicular histomorphometry and ultrastructure of Leydig cells in adult male Japanese quail exposed to di (n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) during the prepubertal period. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:55402-55413. [PMID: 36894732 PMCID: PMC10121545 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25767-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Phthalate esters, such as di(n-butyl) phthalate, (DBP), are synthetic chemical pollutants commonly used as plasticizers in the manufacture of plastics. In the present study, we investigated the effects of DBP in the testes of adult male quails (Coturnix cortunix japonica) exposed by oral gavage to variable doses of DBP (0 [control], 1, 10, 50, 200, and 400 mg/kgbw-d), for 30 days during the prepubertal period, using histo-morphometric and ultrastructural techniques. Generally, significant decreases in seminiferous tubular diameter (STD) and epithelial height (SEH) were observed predominantly at the highest DBP doses (200 and 400 mg/kg), as compared to medium (50 mg/kg), and lowest doses (1 and 10 mg/kg) as well as the control group. Ultrastructurally, apparent dose-specific degenerative changes were observed in the Leydig cells. The lowest DBP doses (1 and 10 mg/kg) did not produce significant effects on Leydig cell ultrastructure, whereas, at the highest doses (200 and 400 mg/kg), the Leydig cells were remarkably conspicuous in the interstitium and appeared foamy. There was a preponderance of electron-lucent lipid droplets which crowded out the normal organelles of the cell, as well as increases in the number of dense bodies in the cytoplasm. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) was less obvious, compacted, and wedged between the abundant lipid droplets and mitochondria. Taken together, these findings indicate that pre-pubertal exposure of precocious quail birds to DBP, produced parameter-specific histometric tubular changes, as well as dose-dependent cyto-structural derangement of the Leydig cells; which consequently may lead to overt reproductive impairments in the adult bird in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar M Bello
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa.
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
| | - Mary-Cathrine Madekurozwa
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Hermanus B Groenewald
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Augustine Arukwe
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tom A Aire
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, True-Blue, St. George's, Grenada
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Alhasnani MA, Loeb S, Hall SJ, Caruolo Z, Simmonds F, Solano AE, Spade DJ. Interaction between mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and retinoic acid alters Sertoli cell development during fetal mouse testis cord morphogenesis. Curr Res Toxicol 2022; 3:100087. [PMID: 36189433 PMCID: PMC9520016 DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Phthalic acid esters (phthalates) are a class of industrial chemicals that cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, but there are significant gaps in knowledge of phthalate toxicity mechanisms. There is evidence that phthalates disrupt retinoic acid signaling in the fetal testis, potentially disrupting control of spatial and temporal patterns of testis development. Our goal was to determine how a phthalate would interact with retinoic acid signaling during fetal mouse testis development. We hypothesized that mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) would exacerbate the adverse effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on seminiferous cord development in the mouse fetal testis. To test this hypothesis, gestational day (GD) 14 C57BL/6 mouse testes were isolated and cultured on media containing MEHP, ATRA, or a combination of both compounds. Cultured testes were collected for global transcriptome analysis after one day in culture and for histology and immunofluorescent analysis of Sertoli cell differentiation after three days in culture. ATRA disrupted seminiferous cord morphogenesis and induced aberrant FOXL2 expression. MEHP alone had no significant effect on cord development, but combined exposure to MEHP and ATRA increased the number of FOXL2-positive cells, reduced seminiferous cord number, and increased testosterone levels, beyond the effect of ATRA alone. In RNA-seq analysis, ATRA treatment and MEHP treatment resulted in differential expression of genes 510 and 134 genes, respectively, including 70 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two treatments, including genes with known roles in fetal testis development. MEHP DEGs included RAR target genes, genes involved in angiogenesis, and developmental patterning genes, including members of the homeobox superfamily. These results support the hypothesis that MEHP modulates retinoic acid signaling in the mouse fetal testis and provide insight into potential mechanisms by which phthalates disrupt seminiferous cord morphogenesis.
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Key Words
- ATRA, All-trans retinoic acid. CAS # 302-79-4
- DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide
- Fetal testis development
- GD, gestational day
- GO, Gene Ontology
- IPA, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis
- ITCN, Image-based Tool for Counting Nuclei
- MEHP, mono-(2-ethylheyxl) phthalate. CAS # 4376-20-9
- MNGs, multinucleated germ cells
- PVC, polyvinyl chloride
- Phthalate toxicity
- Retinoic acid
- Sertoli cell
- TDS, testicular dysgenesis syndrome
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha A. Alhasnani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Skylar Loeb
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Susan J. Hall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Zachary Caruolo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Faith Simmonds
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Amanda E. Solano
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Daniel J. Spade
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Box G-E5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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5
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Smart E, Macdonald J, Smith LB, Mitchell RT. Reconstitution of rat fetal testis during the masculinisation programming window induces focal dysgenesis consistent with testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19022. [PMID: 33149175 PMCID: PMC7642428 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75803-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal dysgenesis is a consistent feature of testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) in humans. Rodent studies show that perturbation of androgens (e.g. following phthalate exposure) during a fetal masculinisation programming window (MPW) predisposes to a TDS phenotype. This study aimed to determine whether dissociation and reconstitution of rat fetal testis tissue during the MPW can be used to model and manipulate seminiferous cord development, including induction of focal dysgenesis, as described in TDS. Dissociated fetal rat testes were xenotransplanted subcutaneously into recipient mice for 4 weeks. Transplanted mice were treated with vehicle or di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP, a plasticising chemical known to induce testicular dysgenesis in vivo in rats). Testosterone production by the transplants was measured in recipient mice and immunofluorescence was performed on the retrieved transplants to identify features consistent with focal testicular dysgenesis. Re-aggregation of rat fetal testis tissue xenotransplants during the MPW results in reconstitution of seminiferous cords. Features of focal testicular dysgenesis were present in re-aggregated testis, including ectopic Sertoli cells and intratubular Leydig cells (ITLCs). DBP exposure of recipient mice reduced androgen-dependent seminal vesicle weight (8.3 vs 26.7 mg; p < 0.05), but did not enhance features of focal dysgenesis including number of ITLCs (0.07 vs 0.10 cells/mm2; p > 0.05). We conclude that seminiferous cord reformation during the MPW results in development of focal dysgenesis. The system may be used to separate specific effects (e.g. androgen suppression) of individual chemical exposures from other mechanisms that may be conserved in TDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie Smart
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Joni Macdonald
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK
| | - Lee B Smith
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK.,Faculty of Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, Scotland, UK. .,Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, 9 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1LF, Scotland, UK.
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6
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Kilcoyne KR, Mitchell RT. Effect of environmental and pharmaceutical exposures on fetal testis development and function: a systematic review of human experimental data. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 25:397-421. [PMID: 30869130 PMCID: PMC6601394 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overall, the incidence of male reproductive disorders has increased in recent decades. Testicular development during fetal life is crucial for subsequent male reproductive function. Non-genomic factors such as environmental chemicals, pharmaceuticals and lifestyle have been proposed to impact on human fetal testicular development resulting in subsequent effects on male reproductive health. Whilst experimental studies using animal models have provided support for this hypothesis, more recently a number of experimental studies using human tissues and cells have begun to translate these findings to determine direct human relevance. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive description of the evidence for effects of prenatal exposure(s) on human fetal testis development and function. We present the effects of environmental, pharmaceutical and lifestyle factors in experimental systems involving exposure of human fetal testis tissues and cells. Comparison is made with existing epidemiological data primarily derived from a recent meta-analysis. SEARCH METHODS For identification of experimental studies, PubMed and EMBASE were searched for articles published in English between 01/01/1966 and 13/07/2018 using search terms including ‘endocrine disruptor’, ‘human’, ‘fetal’, ‘testis’, ‘germ cells’, ‘testosterone’ and related search terms. Abstracts were screened for selection of full-text articles for further interrogation. Epidemiological studies involving exposure to the same agents were extracted from a recent systematic review and meta-analysis. Additional studies were identified through screening of bibliographies of full-texts of articles identified through the initial searches. OUTCOMES A total of 25 experimental studies and 44 epidemiological studies were included. Consistent effects of analgesic and phthalate exposure on human fetal germ cell development are demonstrated in experimental models, correlating with evidence from epidemiological studies and animal models. Furthermore, analgesic-induced reduction in fetal testosterone production, which predisposes to the development of male reproductive disorders, has been reported in studies involving human tissues, which also supports data from animal and epidemiological studies. However, whilst reduced testosterone production has been demonstrated in animal studies following exposure(s) to a variety of environmental chemicals including phthalates and bisphenol A, these effects are not reproduced in experimental approaches using human fetal testis tissues. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Direct experimental evidence for effects of prenatal exposure(s) on human fetal testis development and function exists. However, for many exposures the data is limited. The increasing use of human-relevant models systems in which to determine the effects of environmental exposure(s) (including mixed exposures) on development and function of human tissues should form an important part of the process for assessment of such exposures by regulatory bodies to take account of animal–human differences in susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen R Kilcoyne
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, UK.,Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK
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7
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P MB, M J R. Gestational and lactational exposition to di- n-butyl phthalate increases neurobehavioral perturbations in rats: A three generational comparative study. Toxicol Rep 2020; 7:480-491. [PMID: 32292708 PMCID: PMC7150435 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) cause significant deficits in cognition and memory, however the neuroanatomical basis for impairments remain poorly understood. This study evaluates neurobehavioral changes in rats for three successive generations between non-siblings by administering DBP at 500mg/kg bw dose through oral gavage from gestation day-6 to 21 and lactation (3-weeks). Weaning period evaluations and developmental deficits assessed showed variations specific to generation and the toxic potential of DBP was confounded by behavioral deficits that include changes in sensorimotor development reflex response, poor performance, low memory retention and greater latency period. The cytoarchitectural alterations witnessed in hippocampus include condensed nuclei, vacuole formation and remarkable degeneration, shrinkage of pyramidal neurons in CA1 and CA3 regions; disorganized hilar cells and hyperplasia in dentate gyrus. Comparatively, the enlisted changes were high in subsequent generations than preceding and correlates assessed between cognitive impairment(s) and endocrine function confirm a link indicating vulnerability of immature animals as target to disrupt neural and endocrine functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahaboob Basha P
- Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560 056, India
| | - Radha M J
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetics, Ramaiah College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Bangalore, 560 054, India
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8
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Arzuaga X, Walker T, Yost EE, Radke EG, Hotchkiss AK. Use of the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework to evaluate species concordance and human relevance of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)-induced male reproductive toxicity. Reprod Toxicol 2019; 96:445-458. [PMID: 31260805 PMCID: PMC10067323 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a phthalate ester used as a plasticizer, and solvent. Studies using rats consistently report that DBP exposure disrupts normal development of the male reproductive system in part via inhibition of androgen synthesis. However, studies using xenograft models report that in human fetal testis DBP exposure is unlikely to impair testosterone synthesis. These results question the validity of the rat model for assessment of male reproductive effects caused by DBP. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework was used to evaluate the available evidence for DBP-induced toxicity to the male reproductive system. Three relevant biological elements were identified: 1) fetal rats are more sensitive than other rodents and human fetal xenografts to DBP-induced anti-androgenic effects, 2) DBP-induced androgen-independent adverse outcomes are conserved amongst different mammalian models and human fetal testis xenografts, and 3) DBP-induced anti-androgenic effects are conserved in different mammalian species when exposure occurs during postnatal life stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Arzuaga
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America.
| | - Teneille Walker
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Erin E Yost
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth G Radke
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Andrew K Hotchkiss
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
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9
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Repouskou A, Panagiotidou E, Panagopoulou L, Bisting PL, Tuck AR, Sjödin MOD, Lindberg J, Bozas E, Rüegg J, Gennings C, Bornehag CG, Damdimopoulou P, Stamatakis A, Kitraki E. Gestational exposure to an epidemiologically defined mixture of phthalates leads to gonadal dysfunction in mouse offspring of both sexes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6424. [PMID: 31015488 PMCID: PMC6478857 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42377-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing concern for the reproductive toxicity of abundantly used phthalates requires reliable tools for exposure risk assessment to mixtures of chemicals, based on real life human exposure and disorder-associated epidemiological evidence. We herein used a mixture of four phthalate monoesters (33% mono-butyl phthalate, 16% mono-benzyl phthalate, 21% mono-ethyl hexyl phthalate, and 30% mono-isononyl phthalate), detected in 1st trimester urine of 194 pregnant women and identified as bad actors for a shorter anogenital distance (AGD) in their baby boys. Mice were treated with 0, 0.26, 2.6 and 13 mg/kg/d of the mixture, corresponding to 0x, 10x, 100x, 500x levels detected in the pregnant women. Adverse outcomes detected in the reproductive system of the offspring in pre-puberty and adulthood included reduced AGD index and gonadal weight, changes in gonadal histology and altered expression of key regulators of gonadal growth and steroidogenesis. Most aberrations were apparent in both sexes, though more pronounced in males, and exhibited a non-monotonic pattern. The phthalate mixture directly affected expression of steroidogenesis as demonstrated in a relevant in vitro model. The detected adversities at exposures close to the levels detected in pregnant women, raise concern on the existing safety limits for early-life human exposures and emphasizes the need for re-evaluation of the exposure risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Repouskou
- Laboratory of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Emily Panagiotidou
- Laboratory of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
- Biology-Biochemistry laboratory, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Lydia Panagopoulou
- Laboratory of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | | | - Astrud R Tuck
- Swetox, Karolinska Institutet, Unit of Toxicological Sciences, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Marcus O D Sjödin
- Swetox, Karolinska Institutet, Unit of Toxicological Sciences, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Johan Lindberg
- Swetox, Karolinska Institutet, Unit of Toxicological Sciences, Södertälje, Sweden
| | - Evangelos Bozas
- Pediatric Research laboratory, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Swetox, Karolinska Institutet, Unit of Toxicological Sciences, Södertälje, Sweden
- IMM -Institute for Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chris Gennings
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carl-Gustaf Bornehag
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
| | - Pauliina Damdimopoulou
- Swetox, Karolinska Institutet, Unit of Toxicological Sciences, Södertälje, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonios Stamatakis
- Biology-Biochemistry laboratory, Faculty of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, NKUA, Athens, Greece
| | - Efthymia Kitraki
- Laboratory of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece.
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10
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de Souza NP, Cardoso AF, Gomide L, Lima T, Miot HA, Martino-Andrade AJ, Arnold LL, Pennington KL, Cohen SM, de Camargo J, Nascimento E Pontes MG. Experimental cryptorchidism enhances testicular susceptibility to dibutyl phthalate or acrylamide in Sprague-Dawley rats. Hum Exp Toxicol 2019; 38:899-913. [PMID: 30995857 DOI: 10.1177/0960327119845040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cryptorchidism (CPT), the most common male congenital abnormality, is variably associated with other male reproductive tract problems. We evaluated if cryptorchid rats develop enhanced testicular susceptibility to dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or acrylamide (AA) after extended exposure. Three studies with rats were performed: (1) in utero and postnatal exposure to DBP or AA; (2) establishment of CPT and orchiopexy; and (3) in utero and postnatal exposures to DBP or AA associated with CPT/orchiopexy. Seminiferous tubules were histologically scored according to the severity of lesions: (1) Rats exposed to DBP (score 1.5) or AA (score 1.1) presented mostly preserved spermatogenesis. Some seminiferous tubules showed vacuolated germinative epithelium, germ cell apoptosis, and a Sertoli cell-only (SCO) pattern. (2) CPT (score 3.3) resulted in decreased absolute testes weights, degenerated and SCO tubules, and spermatogenesis arrest that were reversed by orchiopexy (score 1.1). (3) Exposure to DBP or AA with CPT/orchiopexy led to atrophic testes, spermatogenesis arrest, germ cell exfoliation/multinucleation, and SCO tubules (both chemicals score 2.5). Exposure to chemicals such as DBP or AA prevented the recovery of cryptorchid testes by orchiopexy. The possible role of environmental contaminants should be considered when looking for factors that modulate human testicular disorders associated with CPT.
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Affiliation(s)
- N P de Souza
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ap Ferragut Cardoso
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lmm Gomide
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Trr Lima
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - H A Miot
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - A J Martino-Andrade
- 2 Department of Physiology, Polytechnic Centre, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - L L Arnold
- 3 Department of Pathology and Microbiology and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - K L Pennington
- 3 Department of Pathology and Microbiology and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - S M Cohen
- 3 Department of Pathology and Microbiology and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.,4 Havlik-Wall Professor of Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jlv de Camargo
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M G Nascimento E Pontes
- 1 Department of Pathology, Center for Evaluation of the Impact of the Environmental on Human Health (TOXICAM), Botucatu Medical School, Botucatu Campus, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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11
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Picut CA, Ziejewski MK, Stanislaus D. Comparative Aspects of Pre- and Postnatal Development of the Male Reproductive System. Birth Defects Res 2017; 110:190-227. [PMID: 29063715 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This review describes pre- and postnatal development of the male reproductive system in humans and laboratory animals, and highlights species differences in the timing and control of hormonal and morphologic events. Major differences are that the fetal testis is dependent on gonadotropins in humans, but is independent of such in rats; humans have an extended postnatal quiescent period, whereas rats exhibit no quiescence; and events such as secretion by the prostate and seminal vesicles, testicular descent, and the appearance of spermatogonia are all prenatal events in humans, but are postnatal events in rats. Major differences in the timing of the developmental sequence between rats and humans include: gonocyte transformation period (rat: postnatal day 0-9; human: includes gestational week 22 to 9 months of age); masculinization programming window (rat: gestational day 15.5-17.5; human: gestational week 9-14); and mini-puberty (rat: 0-6 hr after birth; human: 3-6 months of age). Endocrine disruptors can cause unique lesions in the prenatal and early postnatal testis; therefore, it is important to consider the differences in the timing of the developmental sequence when designing preclinical studies as identification of windows of sensitivity for endocrine disruption or toxicants will aid in interpretation of results and provide clues to a mode of action. Birth Defects Research 110:190-227, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Picut
- Charles River Laboratories, Pathology Associates, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Mary K Ziejewski
- GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
| | - D Stanislaus
- GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
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12
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Xenotransplantation as a model for human testicular development. Differentiation 2017; 97:44-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Dibutyl phthalate induced testicular dysgenesis originates after seminiferous cord formation in rats. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2521. [PMID: 28566680 PMCID: PMC5451485 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02684-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Administration of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) to pregnant rats causes reproductive disorders in male offspring, resulting from suppression of intratesticular testosterone, and is used as a model for human testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS). DBP exposure in pregnancy induces focal dysgenetic areas in fetal testes that appear between e19.5–e21.5, manifesting as focal aggregation of Leydig cells and ectopic Sertoli cells (SC). Our aim was to identify the origins of the ectopic SC. Time-mated female rats were administered 750 mg/kg/day DBP in three different time windows: full window (FW; e13.5–e20.5), masculinisation programming window (MPW; e15.5–e18.5), late window (LW; e19.5–e20.5). We show that DBP-MPW treatment produces more extensive and severe dysgenetic areas, with more ectopic SC and germ cells (GC) than DBP-FW treatment; DBP-LW induces no dysgenesis. Our findings demonstrate that ectopic SC do not differentiate de novo, but result from rupture of normally formed seminiferous cords beyond e20.5. The more severe testis dysgenesis in DBP-MPW animals may result from the presence of basally migrating GC and a weakened basal lamina, whereas GC migration was minimal in DBP-FW animals. Our findings provide the first evidence for how testicular dysgenesis can result after normal testis differentiation/development and may be relevant to understanding TDS in human patients.
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14
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Dobrzyńska MM, Tyrkiel EJ, Gajowik A. Three generation study of reproductive and developmental toxicity following exposure of pubescent F0 male mice to di-n-butyl phthalate. Mutagenesis 2017; 32:445-454. [DOI: 10.1093/mutage/gex011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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15
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Ungewitter E, Rotgers E, Bantukul T, Kawakami Y, Kissling GE, Yao HHC. From the Cover: Teratogenic Effects of in Utero Exposure to Di-(2-Ethylhexyl)-Phthalate (DEHP) in B6:129S4 Mice. Toxicol Sci 2017; 157:8-19. [PMID: 28123099 PMCID: PMC6074946 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrauterine exposure to phthalates is known to cause disorders of male reproductive function including androgen insufficiency, decreased fertility, and germ cell defects in rodents. In this study, we set out to investigate the effects of intrauterine exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) on fetal development of the B6:129S4 mouse strain. Time-mated pregnant C57BL/6 dams were exposed to 0, 5, 250, or 500 mg/kg DEHP with corn oil as the vehicle via oral gavage from embryonic days (E)7 to 16. Survival and gross morphology of the pups were analyzed one day after the last treatment. Anogenital distance (AGD) and testicular cell functions were examined in male embryos to confirm the known effects of phthalate exposure. DEHP exposure significantly reduced the survival rate of fetuses in the 250 and 500 mg/kg dosage groups compared with the control and 5 mg/kg groups. Exposure to 250 and 500 mg/kg DEHP was teratogenic and induced exencephaly and limb malformations such as polydactyly in the B6:126S4 embryos. No gross malformations were observed in control or 5 mg/kg DEHP groups. In male embryos, exposure to both 5 and 250 mg/kg DEHP in utero was sufficient to induce the formation of multinucleated germ cells in the testes and widespread changes in mRNA expression of germ cell, interstitium and Sertoli cell-associated genes. These findings reveal that intrauterine DEHP exposure has a strong teratogenic, and lethal impact on the fetuses of B6:129S4 mouse strain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yasuhiko Kawakami
- Gennetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
| | - Grace E. Kissling
- Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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16
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Mahaboob Basha P, Radha MJ. Gestational di-n-butyl phthalate exposure induced developmental and teratogenic anomalies in rats: a multigenerational assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:4537-4551. [PMID: 27943041 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-8196-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
With the limited but ongoing usage of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) as plasticizer, the health effects of both phthalate and its alternatives are far from being understood. Multigenerational effects of phthalates were evaluated in rats upon exposure to DBP, aiming to provide some evidences about its potential in causing developmental teratogenicity. Gestational rats were exposed to DBP (500 mg/kg bw/day) and control groups with olive oil. On the 18th day of gestation, fetuses (F1) isolated from a few dams were subjected to prenatal screening, and the other rats were allowed to litter, and later postnatal screening was made. DBP-toxicated (F1) rats were crossed and reared up to three generations (F2 and F3) by adopting the same experimental design. A considerable decrease in the weight of placenta, low number of corpora lutea and increased resorptions, and pre- and postimplantation loss were observed in F1, F2, and F3 generations. Further, there was a decrease in the number of live births and fetal body weight with high mortality, the developmental indices showed reduction in litter size and sex ratio, and a considerable incidence of skeletal and malformation complex involving face and eye was observed in later generations compared to the first. The pre-weaning indices in neonates showed a considerable delay in physical growth milestones and poor scores in sensory motor development. Alterations noticed in the levels of thyroid profile and testosterone found to have a role in sensory motor, craniofacial development, and eye formation. In brief, results confirm multigenerational and fetotoxic effects of DBP; thereby, findings imply that developing tissues are the targets and endocrine disruption appears to be the underlying mechanism of phthalate action.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Mahaboob Basha
- Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560 056, India.
| | - M J Radha
- Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560 056, India
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17
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Shen H, Liao K, Wu HF, Lu HC, Li Y, Li Z, Zhang W. In utero exposure of high-dose di-n-butyl phthalate resulted in opposite effects on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal male rat offspring. Hum Exp Toxicol 2017; 36:1236-1247. [DOI: 10.1177/0960327116685886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effects of in utero exposure to high-dose di- n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal male rat offspring. Methods: Twenty pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into two groups. During gestation day (GD) 12 to GD 19, control group was given 1 ml day−1 of olive oil and experimental group was given DBP 500 mg kg−1 day−1 by gavage. On GD 19.5 and postnatal day (PND) 45, the testes were removed. Morphological analysis of the testes was observed by transmission electron microscopy and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Testicular cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 was presented by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot. Data of the two groups was compared using independent samples t-test and Mann–Whitney test by SPSS 20.0. Results: H&E staining showed that spermatogenetic cells were significantly decreased in DBP exposed pubertal rat testis. The apoptosis index of testes in DBP-treated group was significantly lower on GD 19.5 but higher on PND 45 than that of the controls ( p < 0.01). IHC and western blot revealed significantly increased expression of Bcl-2 in GD 19.5 rat testis and Bax and p53 in PND 45 rat testis after DBP exposure, compared with the control ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: In utero exposure of high-dose DBP resulted in opposite effects on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal rat offspring. The overexpression of Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 might be related to the occurrence of abnormal apoptosis and finally produce male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Shen
- Department of Urology, BenQ Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - K Liao
- Department of Urology, BenQ Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - H-F Wu
- Department of Urology, BenQ Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - H-C Lu
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Y Li
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Z Li
- School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - W Zhang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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18
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Lea RG, Amezaga MR, Loup B, Mandon-Pépin B, Stefansdottir A, Filis P, Kyle C, Zhang Z, Allen C, Purdie L, Jouneau L, Cotinot C, Rhind SM, Sinclair KD, Fowler PA. The fetal ovary exhibits temporal sensitivity to a 'real-life' mixture of environmental chemicals. Sci Rep 2016; 6:22279. [PMID: 26931299 PMCID: PMC4773987 DOI: 10.1038/srep22279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of fetal ovarian follicles is a critical determinant of adult female reproductive competence. Prolonged exposure to environmental chemicals (ECs) can perturb this process with detrimental consequences for offspring. Here we report on the exposure of pregnant ewes to an environmental mixture of ECs derived from pastures fertilized with sewage sludge (biosolids): a common global agricultural practice. Exposure of pregnant ewes to ECs over 80 day periods during early, mid or late gestation reduced the proportion of healthy early stage fetal follicles comprising the ovarian reserve. Mid and late gestation EC exposures had the most marked effects, disturbing maternal and fetal liver chemical profiles, masculinising fetal anogenital distance and greatly increasing the number of altered fetal ovarian genes and proteins. In conclusion, differential temporal sensitivity of the fetus and its ovaries to EC mixtures has implications for adult ovarian function following adverse exposures during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Lea
- Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Maria R Amezaga
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences &Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Benoit Loup
- UMR BDR, INRA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Agnes Stefansdottir
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences &Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Panagiotis Filis
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences &Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Carol Kyle
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Zulin Zhang
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Ceri Allen
- Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Laura Purdie
- Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Luc Jouneau
- UMR BDR, INRA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Corinne Cotinot
- UMR BDR, INRA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Stewart M Rhind
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Kevin D Sinclair
- Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Paul A Fowler
- Institute of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences &Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
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19
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Saillenfait AM, Ndiaye D, Sabaté JP, Denis F, Antoine G, Robert A, Rouiller-Fabre V, Moison D. Evaluation of the effects of deltamethrin on the fetal rat testis. J Appl Toxicol 2016; 36:1505-15. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.3310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dieynaba Ndiaye
- Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité; Vandoeuvre France
| | | | - Flavien Denis
- Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité; Vandoeuvre France
| | | | - Alain Robert
- Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité; Vandoeuvre France
| | - Virginie Rouiller-Fabre
- INSERM, U967, CEA/DSV/iRCM/SCSR/LDG; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité; Fontenay-Aux-Roses France
| | - Delphine Moison
- INSERM, U967, CEA/DSV/iRCM/SCSR/LDG; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité; Fontenay-Aux-Roses France
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20
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Prokkola JM, Katsiadaki I, Sebire M, Elphinstone-Davis J, Pausio S, Nikinmaa M, Leder EH. Microarray analysis of di-n-butyl phthalate and 17α ethinyl-oestradiol responses in three-spined stickleback testes reveals novel candidate genes for endocrine disruption. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2016; 124:96-104. [PMID: 26476330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Phthalate esters are plasticizers frequently found in wastewater effluents. Previous studies on phthalates have reported anti-androgenic activity in mammals, causing concerns of their potential effects on the reproduction of aquatic organisms. Another group of environmental endocrine disrupters, steroidal estrogens, are known to inhibit steroid biosynthesis in the gonads, but the effects related to spermatogenesis are not well understood in fish. In this study, three-spined sticklebacks were exposed to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and 17α ethinyl-oestradiol (EE2) at nominal concentrations 35μg/L and 40ng/L, respectively, for four days. The aim of the study was to obtain insight into the acute transcriptional responses putatively associated with endocrine disruption. RNA samples from eight individual male fish per treatment (including controls) were used in microarray analysis, covering the expression of approximately 21,000 genes. In the EE2 treatment the results show transcriptional downregulation of genes associated with steroid biosynthesis pathway and up-regulation of genes involved in pathways related to epidermal growth factor signaling and xenobiotic metabolism. The transcriptional response to DBP was in general weaker than to EE2, but based on enrichment analysis, we suggest adverse effects on retinoid metabolism, creatine kinase activity and cell adhesion. Among the genes showing highest fold changes after DBP treatment compared to control was the teleost fish -specific cytochrome P450 17A2. Overall, this study promotes our understanding on molecular responses to anti-androgens and estrogens in fish testes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni M Prokkola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.
| | - Ioanna Katsiadaki
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, UK
| | - Marion Sebire
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Weymouth, UK
| | | | - Sanna Pausio
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Mikko Nikinmaa
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Erica H Leder
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo NO-0318, Norway
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21
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Dean A, van den Driesche S, Wang Y, McKinnell C, Macpherson S, Eddie SL, Kinnell H, Hurtado-Gonzalez P, Chambers TJ, Stevenson K, Wolfinger E, Hrabalkova L, Calarrao A, Bayne RA, Hagen CP, Mitchell RT, Anderson RA, Sharpe RM. Analgesic exposure in pregnant rats affects fetal germ cell development with inter-generational reproductive consequences. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19789. [PMID: 26813099 PMCID: PMC4728385 DOI: 10.1038/srep19789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Analgesics which affect prostaglandin (PG) pathways are used by most pregnant women. As germ cells (GC) undergo developmental and epigenetic changes in fetal life and are PG targets, we investigated if exposure of pregnant rats to analgesics (indomethacin or acetaminophen) affected GC development and reproductive function in resulting offspring (F1) or in the F2 generation. Exposure to either analgesic reduced F1 fetal GC number in both sexes and altered the tempo of fetal GC development sex-dependently, with delayed meiotic entry in oogonia but accelerated GC differentiation in males. These effects persisted in adult F1 females as reduced ovarian and litter size, whereas F1 males recovered normal GC numbers and fertility by adulthood. F2 offspring deriving from an analgesic-exposed F1 parent also exhibited sex-specific changes. F2 males exhibited normal reproductive development whereas F2 females had smaller ovaries and reduced follicle numbers during puberty/adulthood; as similar changes were found for F2 offspring of analgesic-exposed F1 fathers or mothers, we interpret this as potentially indicating an analgesic-induced change to GC in F1. Assuming our results are translatable to humans, they raise concerns that analgesic use in pregnancy could potentially affect fertility of resulting daughters and grand-daughters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshan Dean
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Sander van den Driesche
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Yili Wang
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Chris McKinnell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Sheila Macpherson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Sharon L Eddie
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Hazel Kinnell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Pablo Hurtado-Gonzalez
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Tom J Chambers
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Kerrie Stevenson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Elke Wolfinger
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Lenka Hrabalkova
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Ana Calarrao
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Rosey Al Bayne
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Casper P Hagen
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Rod T Mitchell
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Richard M Sharpe
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
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Spade DJ, Hall SJ, Wilson S, Boekelheide K. Di-n-Butyl Phthalate Induces Multinucleated Germ Cells in the Rat Fetal Testis Through a Nonproliferative Mechanism. Biol Reprod 2015; 93:110. [PMID: 26400400 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.115.131615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In utero exposure to some phthalate esters adversely affects the development of the rat seminiferous cord, causing germ cell loss and increasing the number of multinucleated germ cells (MNGs). To understand the timing of MNG formation and determine whether it requires nuclear division, timed pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to 500 mg/kg di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) or corn oil vehicle by oral gavage on Gestational Day (GD) 17 or 18 (0 h) and euthanized after 2, 4, 6, or 24 h or given a second dose at 24 h and euthanized 48 h after the initial dose. Dams were simultaneously exposed to 0.3 M 5-bromo-2'-deoxycitidine (BrdC; converted to 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridylate [BrdU] in vivo) through a subcutaneous micro-osmotic pump implanted at -2 h. In the testes of male fetuses, DBP induced MNGs significantly beginning at 4-6 h and dramatically by 24 h when exposure began on GD 18 but not GD 17. Seminiferous cord diameter was significantly elevated in testes of rats treated with DBP at 24 and 48 h, and cell death, measured by TUNEL assay, was significantly elevated by DBP only at 48 h, when treatment began on GD 18. TUNEL-labeled MNGs were rare. Overall BrdU labeling rate in the testis was unaffected by DBP. Only one of 606 MNGs in BrdU-labeled sections had a strongly positive nucleus, confirming a nonproliferative mechanism of MNG formation, which is a degenerative process with the potential to adversely affect testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Spade
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Susan J Hall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Shelby Wilson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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van den Driesche S, McKinnell C, Calarrão A, Kennedy L, Hutchison GR, Hrabalkova L, Jobling MS, Macpherson S, Anderson RA, Sharpe RM, Mitchell RT. Comparative effects of di(n-butyl) phthalate exposure on fetal germ cell development in the rat and in human fetal testis xenografts. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:223-30. [PMID: 25514601 PMCID: PMC4348744 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phthalate exposure induces germ cell effects in the fetal rat testis. Although experimental models have shown that the human fetal testis is insensitive to the steroidogenic effects of phthalates, the effects on germ cells have been less explored. OBJECTIVES We sought to identify the effects of phthalate exposure on human fetal germ cells in a dynamic model and to establish whether the rat is an appropriate model for investigating such effects. METHODS We used immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to examine Sertoli and germ cell markers on rat testes and human fetal testis xenografts after exposure to vehicle or di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP). Our study included analysis of germ cell differentiation markers, proliferation markers, and cell adhesion proteins. RESULTS In both rat and human fetal testes, DBP exposure induced similar germ cell effects, namely, germ cell loss (predominantly undifferentiated), induction of multinucleated gonocytes (MNGs), and aggregation of differentiated germ cells, although the latter occurred rarely in the human testes. The mechanism for germ cell aggregation and MNG induction appears to be loss of Sertoli cell-germ cell membrane adhesion, probably due to Sertoli cell microfilament redistribution. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide the first comparison of DBP effects on germ cell number, differentiation, and aggregation in human testis xenografts and in vivo in rats. We observed comparable effects on germ cells in both species, but the effects in the human were muted compared with those in the rat. Nevertheless, phthalate effects on germ cells have potential implications for the next generation, which merits further study. Our results indicate that the rat is a human-relevant model in which to explore the mechanisms for germ cell effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander van den Driesche
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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24
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Kay VR, Bloom MS, Foster WG. Reproductive and developmental effects of phthalate diesters in males. Crit Rev Toxicol 2014; 44:467-98. [DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2013.875983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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25
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Hart R, Doherty DA, Frederiksen H, Keelan JA, Hickey M, Sloboda D, Pennell CE, Newnham JP, Skakkebaek NE, Main KM. The influence of antenatal exposure to phthalates on subsequent female reproductive development in adolescence: a pilot study. Reproduction 2014; 147:379-90. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-13-0331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We hypothesised that antenatal exposure to ubiquitous phthalates may lead to an earlier menarche and a lower prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and polycystic ovarian morphology (PCO) in adolescence. The Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study recruited 3000 women at 18 weeks of gestation in 1989–1991, 1377 had antenatal serum stored without thawing at −80 °C. An unselected subset was evaluated in the early follicular phase for PCO and PCOS by ultrasound and serum evaluation in adolescence. Serum was analysed for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, androstenedione and DHEAS. Four hundred microlitres of the frozen maternal serum underwent isotope-diluted liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, with preceding enzymatic deconjugation followed by solid-phase extraction to determine phthalate exposure. Two hundred and forty four girls attended assessment and most common phthalate metabolites were detectable in the majority of the 123 samples available. Several phthalates were negatively associated with maternal SHBG, and associations with maternal androgens were less consistent. The sum of the metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was associated with a non-significant tendency towards an earlier age at menarche (P=0.069). Uterine volume was positively associated with mono-(carboxy-iso-octyl) phthalate (P=0.018). Exposure to monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and the sum of all phthalate metabolites (Σall phth.m) were protective against PCOS in adolescence (P=0.001 and P=0.005 respectively). There were negative associations of MEP with PCO (P=0.022) and of MEP with serum AMH (P=0.031). Consequently, our data suggest that antenatal exposure to environmental phthalates may be associated with oestrogenic and/or anti-androgenic reproductive effects in adolescent girls.
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26
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Kubwabo C, Rasmussen PE, Fan X, Kosarac I, Wu F, Zidek A, Kuchta SL. Analysis of selected phthalates in Canadian indoor dust collected using household vacuum and standardized sampling techniques. INDOOR AIR 2013; 23:506-14. [PMID: 23621316 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/12/2013] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Phthalates have been used extensively as plasticizers to improve the flexibility of polymers, and they also have found many industrial applications. They are ubiquitous in the environment and have been detected in a variety of environmental and biological matrices. The goal of this study was to develop a method for the determination of 17 phthalate esters in house dust. This method involved sonication extraction, sample cleanup using solid phase extraction, and isotope dilution GC/MS/MS analysis. Method detection limits (MDLs) and recoveries ranged from 0.04 to 2.93 μg/g and from 84 to 117%, respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of phthalates in 38 paired household vacuum samples (HD) and fresh dust (FD) samples. HD and FD samples compared well for the majority of phthalates detected in house dust. Data obtained from 126 household dust samples confirmed the historical widespread use of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), with a concentration range of 36 μg/g to 3840 μg/g. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BzBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) were also found in most samples at relatively high concentrations. Another important phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), was detected at a frequency of 98.4% with concentrations ranging from below its MDL of 0.51 μg/g to 69 μg/g.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Kubwabo
- Health Canada, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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27
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Mortimer D, Barratt CLR, Björndahl L, de Jager C, Jequier AM, Muller CH. What should it take to describe a substance or product as 'sperm-safe'. Hum Reprod Update 2013; 19 Suppl 1:i1-45. [PMID: 23552271 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmt008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male reproductive potential continues to be adversely affected by many environmental, industrial and pharmaceutical toxins. Pre-emptive testing for reproductive toxicological (side-)effects remains limited, or even non-existent. Many products that come into direct contact with spermatozoa lack adequate testing for the absence of adverse effects, and numerous products that are intended for exposure to spermatozoa have only a general assumption of safety based on the absence of evidence of actual harm. Such assumptions can have unfortunate adverse impacts on at-risk individuals (e.g. couples who are trying to conceive), illustrating a clear need for appropriate up-front testing to establish actual 'sperm safety'. METHODS After compiling a list of general areas within the review's scope, relevant literature and other information was obtained from the authors' personal professional libraries and archives, and supplemented as necessary using PubMed and Google searches. Review by co-authors identified and eliminated errors of omission or bias. RESULTS This review provides an overview of the broad range of substances, materials and products that can affect male fertility, especially through sperm fertilizing ability, along with a discussion of practical methods and bioassays for their evaluation. It is concluded that products can only be claimed to be 'sperm-safe' after performing objective, properly designed experimental studies; extrapolation from supposed predicate products or other assumptions cannot be trusted. CONCLUSIONS We call for adopting the precautionary principle, especially when exposure to a product might affect not only a couple's fertility potential but also the health of resulting offspring and perhaps future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mortimer
- Oozoa Biomedical Inc., Caulfeild Village, West Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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28
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McKinnell C, Mitchell RT, Morris K, Anderson RA, Kelnar CJH, Wallace WH, Sharpe RM. Perinatal germ cell development and differentiation in the male marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): similarities with the human and differences from the rat. Hum Reprod 2013; 28:886-96. [PMID: 23321215 PMCID: PMC3600838 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/des465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is perinatal germ cell (GC) differentiation in the marmoset similar to that in the human? SUMMARY ANSWER In a process comparable with the human, marmoset GC differentiate rapidly after birth, losing OCT4 expression after 5–7 weeks of age during mini-puberty. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Most of our understanding about perinatal GC development derives from rodents, in which all gonocytes (undifferentiated GC) co-ordinately lose expression of the pluripotency factor OCT4 and stop proliferating in late gestation. Then after birth these differentiated GC migrate to the basal lamina and resume proliferation prior to the onset of spermatogenesis. In humans, fetal GC differentiation occurs gradually and asynchronously and OCT4+ GC persist into perinatal life. Failure to switch off OCT4 in GC perinatally can lead to development of carcinoma in situ (CIS), the precursor of testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC), for which there is no animal model. Marmosets show similarities to the human, but systematic evaluation of perinatal GC development in this species is lacking. Similarity, especially for loss of OCT4 expression, would support use of the marmoset as a model for the human and for studying CIS origins. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION Testis tissues were obtained from marmosets (n = 4–10 per age) at 12–17 weeks' gestation and post-natal weeks 0.5, 2.5, 5–7, 14 and 22 weeks, humans at 15–18 weeks' gestation (n = 5) and 4–5 weeks of age (n = 4) and rats at embryonic day 21.5 (e21.5) (n = 3) and post-natal days 4, 6 and 8 (n = 4 each). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING AND METHODS Testis sections from fetal and post-natal marmosets, humans and rats were collected and immunostained for OCT4 and VASA to identify undifferentiated and differentiated GC, respectively, and for Ki67, to identify proliferating GC. Stereological quantification of GC numbers, differentiation (% OCT4+ GC) and proliferation were performed in perinatal marmosets and humans. Quantification of GC position within seminiferous cords was performed in marmosets, humans and rats. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE The total GC number increased 17-fold from birth to 22 post-natal weeks in marmosets; OCT4+ and VASA+ GC proliferated equally in late gestation and early post-natal life. The percentage of OCT4+ GC fell from 54% in late fetal life to <0.5% at 2.5 weeks of age and none were detected after 5–7 weeks in marmosets. In humans, the percentage of OCT4+ GC also declined markedly during the equivalent period. In marmosets, GC had begun migrating to the base of seminiferous cords at ∼22 weeks of age, after the loss of GC OCT4 expression. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION There is considerable individual variation between marmosets. Although GC development in marmosets and humans was similar, there are differences with respect to proliferation during fetal life. The number of human samples was limited. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The similarities in testicular GC differentiation between marmosets and humans during the perinatal period, and their differences from rodents, suggest that the marmoset may be a useful model for studying the origins of CIS, with relevance for the study of TGCC. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS This work was supported by Grant G33253 from the Medical Research Council, UK. No external funding was sought and there are no competing interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris McKinnell
- MRC/University of Edinburgh Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
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29
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Yao PL, Lin YC, Richburg JH. Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) promotes invasion and migration of human testicular embryonal carcinoma cells. Biol Reprod 2012; 86:160, 1-10. [PMID: 22321834 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.111.097295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Testicular dysgenesis syndrome refers to a collection of diseases in men, including testicular cancer, that arise as a result of abnormal testicular development. Phthalates are a class of chemicals used widely in the production of plastic products and other consumer goods. Unfortunately, phthalate exposure has been linked to reproductive dysfunction and has been shown to adversely affect normal germ cell development. In this study, we show that mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) induces matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) expression in testicular embryonal carcinoma NT2/D1 cells but has no significant effect on MMP9 expression. NT2/D1 cells also have higher levels of MYC expression following MEHP treatment. It is widely recognized that activation of MMP2 and MYC is tightly associated with tumor metastasis and tumor progression. Gelatin zymographic analysis indicates that MEHP strongly activates MMP2 in NT2/D1 cells. Addition of the MMP2-specific inhibitor SB-3CT inhibited MEHP-enhanced cell invasion and migration, demonstrating that MMP2 plays a functional role in promoting testicular embryonal carcinoma progression in response to MEHP exposure. Furthermore, we investigated genome-wide gene expression profiles of NT2/D1 cells following MEHP exposure at 0, 3, and 24 h. Microarray analysis and semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed that MEHP exposure primarily influenced genes in cell adhesion and transcription in NT2/D1 cells. Gap junction protein-alpha 1, vinculin, and inhibitor of DNA-binding protein-1 were significantly down-regulated by MEHP treatment, while claudin-6 and beta 1-catenin expression levels were up-regulated. This study provides insight into mechanisms that may account for modulating testicular cancer progression following phthalate exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Li Yao
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Toxicology, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
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30
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Lucas BEG, Fields C, Joshi N, Hofmann MC. Mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (MEHP) affects ERK-dependent GDNF signalling in mouse stem-progenitor spermatogonia. Toxicology 2012; 299:10-9. [PMID: 22564763 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2012.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Revised: 04/14/2012] [Accepted: 04/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Many commercial and household products such as lubricants, cosmetics, plastics, and paint contain phthalates, in particular bis-(2-ethyhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP). As a consequence, phthalates have been found in a number of locations and foods (streambeds, household dust, bottled water and dairy products). Epidemiological and animal studies analysing phthalate exposure in males provide evidence of degradation in sperm quality, associated to an increase in the incidence of genital birth defects and testicular cancers. In the testis, spermatogenesis is maintained throughout life by a small number of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that self-renew or differentiate to produce adequate numbers of spermatozoa. Disruption or alteration of SSC self-renewal induce decreased sperm count and sperm quality, or may potentially lead to testicular cancer. GDNF, or glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor, is a growth factor that is essential for the self-renewal of SSCs and continuous spermatogenesis. In the present study, the SSC-derived cell line C18-4 was used as a model for preliminary assessment of the effects of mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (MEHP, main metabolite of DEHP) on spermatogonial stem cells. Our data demonstrate that MEHP disrupts one of the known GDNF signalling pathways in these cells. MEHP induced a decrease of C18-4 cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as well as a disruption of ERK1/2 activation but not of SRC signalling. As a result, we observed a decrease of expression of the transcription factor FOS, which is downstream of the GDNF/ERK1/2 axis in these cells. Taken together, our data suggest that MEHP exposure affects SSC proliferation through inhibition of specific signalling molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin E G Lucas
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
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31
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Mitchell RT, Childs AJ, Anderson RA, van den Driesche S, Saunders PTK, McKinnell C, Wallace WHB, Kelnar CJH, Sharpe RM. Do phthalates affect steroidogenesis by the human fetal testis? Exposure of human fetal testis xenografts to di-n-butyl phthalate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012; 97:E341-8. [PMID: 22238399 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2011-2411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental chemicals. Fetal exposure to certain phthalates [e.g. di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)] causes masculinization disorders in rats, raising concern for similar effects in humans. We investigated whether DBP exposure impairs steroidogenesis by the human fetal testis. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine effects of DBP exposure on testosterone production by normally growing human fetal testis xenografts. DESIGN Human fetal testes (14-20 wk gestation; n=12) were xenografted into castrate male nude mice that were treated for 4-21 d with vehicle, or 500 mg/kg·d DBP, or monobutyl phthalate (active metabolite of DBP); all mice were treated with human chorionic gonadotropin to mimic normal human pregnancy. Rat fetal testis xenografts were exposed for 4 d to DBP as a positive control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Testosterone production was assessed by measuring host serum testosterone and seminal vesicle (SV) weights at termination, plus testis gene expression (rats). RESULTS Human fetal testis xenografts showed similar survival (∼80%) and total graft weight (8.6 vs. 10.1 mg) in vehicle and DBP-exposed hosts, respectively. Serum testosterone (0.56 vs. 0.64 ng/ml; P>0.05) and SV weight (67.2 vs. 81.9 mg; P>0.05) also did not differ. Exposure to monobutyl phthalate gave similar results. In contrast, exposure of rat fetal xenografts to DBP significantly reduced SV weight and testis Cyp11a1/StAR mRNA expression and lowered testosterone levels, confirming that DBP exposure can inhibit steroidogenesis in xenografts, further validating the negative findings on testosterone production in the human. CONCLUSIONS Exposure of human fetal testes to DBP is unlikely to impair testosterone production as it does in rats. This has important safety and regulatory implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- R T Mitchell
- Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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32
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Le cancer du testicule : facteurs de risque génétiques et environnementaux. Basic Clin Androl 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s12610-012-0164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Résumé
L'incidence du cancer du testicule (CT), qui est inégale d'une région à l'autre, progresse dans la plupart des pays y compris la France. L'origine la plus probable du CT est la non différenciation de cellules germinales souches pendant la vie fœtale. Ces cellules, maintenues dans un état immature, pourraient proliférer pour former une tumeur après la puberté. La fréquence de son association avec une cryptorchidie ou une infertilité a conduit à formuler l'hypothèse que le CT pouvait être un des constituants du syndrome de dysgénésie testiculaire. Le rôle des facteurs génétiques est suggéré par la fréquence de cas familiaux de CT mais aucun gène clairement responsable du cancer n'a été identifié jusqu'à présent. Parmi les nombreux gènes étudiés, ce sont ceux contrôlant la voie KITLG/KIT, qui participe à la régulation de la prolifération et de la fonction des cellules germinales primordiales, qui semblent jouer le rôle principal. Les études faites sur des populations migrantes et les jumeaux suggèrent par ailleurs que des facteurs environnementaux pourraient jouer un rôle essentiel dans la genèse du CT. Des dérégulations hormonales pendant la vie fœtale ou la puberté pourraient notamment favoriser le développement de CT. Cependant, l'exposition à des substances exogènes agissant comme des perturbateurs endocriniens est encore à démontrer.
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