Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8851292 | Chemosphere | 2018 | 31 Pages |
Abstract
Ziram is an endocrine disruptor and may cause birth abnormality of the male reproductive system. However, the effects of ziram on fetal Leydig cell (FLC) development are still unknown. The objective of the present study was to determine the endocrine-disrupting effect of ziram on rat FLC development after gestational exposure. Pregnant Sprague Dawley dams were randomly divided into 5 groups and were gavaged with 0 (corn oil, the control), 1, 2, 4, or 8â¯mg/kg ziram from gestational day 12 (GD12) to GD21. FLC development was evaluated by measuring serum testosterone, FLC number and distribution, and the expression levels of Leydig and Sertoli cell genes. Ziram significantly increased serum testosterone level at 1â¯mg/kg (1.350â¯Â±â¯0.099â¯ng/ml vs. 0.989â¯Â±â¯0.106â¯ng/ml in the control), while it remarkably lowered it at 8â¯mg/kg (0.598â¯Â±â¯0.086â¯ng/ml). Quantitative immunohistochemical staining showed that ziram increased FLC number via stimulating cell proliferation at 1â¯mg/kg and lowered it via inhibiting its proliferation at 8â¯mg/kg without affecting Sertoli cell number. Further study demonstrated that the expression of Nr5a1, Lhcgr, Scarb1, Star, Cyp11a1, and Cyp17a1 genes and proteins in the testis was upregulated at 1â¯mg/kg and the expression of Leydig (Nr5a1, Lhcgr, Scarb1, Star, Cyp11a1, Cyp17a1, and Insl3) and Sertoli cell (Fshr, Hsd17b3, Dhh, Amh, and Sox9) genes and proteins was downregulated by ziram at 8â¯mg/kg. In conclusion, ziram had biphasic effects on FLC development with low dose to increase FLC number and function and high dose to decrease them.
Keywords
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Environmental Chemistry
Authors
Jianpeng Liu, Yiyan Wang, Yinghui Fang, Chaobo Ni, Leikai Ma, Wenwen Zheng, Suhao Bao, Xiaoheng Li, Qingquan Lian, Ren-Shan Ge,