Effects of in Utero Exposure to Dicyclohexyl Phthalate on Rat Fetal Leydig Cells

Xiaoheng Li, Xiaomin Chen, Guoxin Hu, Linxi Li, Huina Su, Yiyan Wang, Dongxin Chen, Qiqi Zhu, Chao Li, Junwei Li, Mingcang Wang, Qingquan Lian and Ren-Shan Ge
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Xiaoheng Li: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Xiaomin Chen: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Guoxin Hu: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
Linxi Li: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Huina Su: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Yiyan Wang: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Dongxin Chen: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Qiqi Zhu: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Chao Li: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Junwei Li: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China
Mingcang Wang: Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou 317000, China
Qingquan Lian: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
Ren-Shan Ge: The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) is one of the phthalate plasticizers. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of DCHP on fetal Leydig cell distribution and function as well as testis development. Female pregnant Sprague Dawley dams orally received vehicle (corn oil, control) or DCHP (10, 100, and 500 mg/kg/day) from gestational day (GD) 12 to GD 21. At GD 21.5, testicular testosterone production, fetal Leydig cell number and distribution, testicular gene and protein expression levels were examined. DCHP administration produced a dose-dependent increase of the incidence of multinucleated gonocytes at ≥100 mg/kg. DCHP dose-dependently increased abnormal fetal Leydig cell aggregation and decreased fetal Leydig cell size, cytoplasmic size, and nuclear size at ≥10 mg/kg. DCHP reduced the expression levels of steroidogenesis-related genes (including Star , Hsd3b1 , and Hsd17b3 ) and testis-descent related gene Insl3 as well as protein levels of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD3B1) and insulin-like 3 (INSL3) at ≥10 mg/kg. DCHP significantly inhibited testicular testosterone levels at ≥100 mg/kg. The results indicate that in utero exposure to DCHP affects the expression levels of fetal Leydig cell steroidogenic genes and results in the occurrence of multinucleated gonocytes and Leydig cell aggregation.

Keywords: dicyclohexyl phthalate; fetal Leydig cell; Leydig cell aggregation; testosterone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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