Vimentin-Mediated Steroidogenesis Induced by Phthalate Esters: Involvement of DNA Demethylation and Nuclear Factor κB.

ABSTRACT: Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and its active metabolite, monobutyl phthalate (MBP) are the most common endocrine disrupting chemicals. Many studies indicate that high-doses of DBP and/or MBP exhibit toxicity on testicular function, however, little attention have been paid to the effects of low levels of DBP/MBP on steroidogenesis. As we all know, the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is a key regulator involved in the steroidogenesis. Here we found that, in addition to StAR, MBP/DBP increased the steroidogenesis by a cytoskeletal protein, vimentin. Briefly, in murine adrenocortical tumor (Y1) and the mouse Leydig tumor (MLTC-1) cells, vimentin regulated the secretion of progesterone. When these two cells were exposure to MBP, the DNA demethylation in the vimentin promoter was obse

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4706347 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature