In utero exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate decreases mineralocorticoid receptor expression in the adult testis.

ABSTRACT: In utero exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been shown to result in decreased androgen formation by fetal and adult rat testes. In the fetus, decreased androgen is accompanied by the reduced expression of steroidogenic enzymes. The mechanism by which in utero exposure results in reduced androgen formation in the adult, however, is unknown. We hypothesized that deregulation of the nuclear steroid receptors might explain the effects of in utero DEHP exposure on adult testosterone production. To test this hypothesis, pregnant Sprague Dawley dams were gavaged with 100-950 mg DEHP per kilogram per day from gestational d 14-19, and testes were collected at gestational d 20 and postnatal days (PND) 3, 21, and 60. Among the nuclear receptors studied, the mineralocorticoid receptor

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Arguelles DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2795714 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature