Loading…

In utero cadmium and dibutyl phthalate combination exposure worsens the defects of fetal testis in rats

Testicular dysgenesis syndrome might be due to the fetal testis defects caused by endocrine disruptors. Here, we report the combined effects of in utero exposure to cadmium (CdCl2, Cd) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on fetal testis development in rats. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental pollution (1987) 2020-10, Vol.265, p.114842-114842, Article 114842
Main Authors: Ma, Leikai, Mo, Jiaying, Chen, Yong, Li, Linchao, Xie, Lubin, Chen, Xianwu, Li, Xiaoheng, Wang, Yiyan, Lin, Zhenkun, Ge, Ren-Shan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Testicular dysgenesis syndrome might be due to the fetal testis defects caused by endocrine disruptors. Here, we report the combined effects of in utero exposure to cadmium (CdCl2, Cd) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on fetal testis development in rats. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, Cd, DBP (250 mg/kg/day), and Cd + DBP. Cd (0.25 mg/kg/once) was intraperitoneally injected to the dam on gestational day 12 and DBP (250 mg/kg) was daily gavaged to the dam on gestational day 12 for 10 days. Cd, DBP, and Cd + DBP lowered serum testosterone levels in male fetuses. Cd and DBP did not alter fetal Leydig cell (FLC) number, but the combined exposure led to decreased FLC number. Cd did not affect FLC aggregation while DBP caused FLC aggregation and the combined exposure worsened FLC aggregation. Cd lowered FLC mRNA (Lhcgr, Star, Cyp11a1, and Insl3) levels and DBP lowered Lhcgr, Star, Insl3, and Nr5a1 levels. DBP up-regulated Scarb1 expression without affecting Cyp11a1 while the combined exposure antagonized DBP. These two chemicals and its combination did not affect Sertoli cell number and gene (Amh, Fshr, and Sox9) expression at current doses. In conclusion, the combined exposure of Cd and DBP exerts synergically antiandrogenic effects via targeting FLC development. [Display omitted] •Cadmium and dibutyl phthalate alone inhibits fetal Leydig cell development.•Cadmium and dibutyl phthalate have different mechanisms.•Cadmium and dibutyl phthalate synergically inhibits testosterone production.
ISSN:0269-7491
1873-6424
DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114842