Document Detail


Do Phthalates Affect Steroidogenesis by the Human Fetal Testis? Exposure of Human Fetal Testis Xenografts to Di-n-Butyl Phthalate.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22238399     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Context:Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental chemicals. Fetal exposure to certain phthalates [e.g. di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)] causes masculinization disorders in rats, raising concern for similar effects in humans. We investigated whether DBP exposure impairs steroidogenesis by the human fetal testis.Objective:The aim of the study was to determine effects of DBP exposure on testosterone production by normally growing human fetal testis xenografts.Design:Human fetal testes (14-20 wk gestation; n = 12) were xenografted into castrate male nude mice that were treated for 4-21 d with vehicle, or 500 mg/kg · d DBP, or monobutyl phthalate (active metabolite of DBP); all mice were treated with human chorionic gonadotropin to mimic normal human pregnancy. Rat fetal testis xenografts were exposed for 4 d to DBP as a positive control.Main Outcome Measures:Testosterone production was assessed by measuring host serum testosterone and seminal vesicle (SV) weights at termination, plus testis gene expression (rats).Results:Human fetal testis xenografts showed similar survival (∼80%) and total graft weight (8.6 vs. 10.1 mg) in vehicle and DBP-exposed hosts, respectively. Serum testosterone (0.56 vs. 0.64 ng/ml; P > 0.05) and SV weight (67.2 vs. 81.9 mg; P > 0.05) also did not differ. Exposure to monobutyl phthalate gave similar results. In contrast, exposure of rat fetal xenografts to DBP significantly reduced SV weight and testis Cyp11a1/StAR mRNA expression and lowered testosterone levels, confirming that DBP exposure can inhibit steroidogenesis in xenografts, further validating the negative findings on testosterone production in the human.Conclusions:Exposure of human fetal testes to DBP is unlikely to impair testosterone production as it does in rats. This has important safety and regulatory implications.
Authors:
R T Mitchell; A J Childs; R A Anderson; S van den Driesche; P T K Saunders; C McKinnell; W H B Wallace; C J H Kelnar; R M Sharpe
Related Documents :
7315909 - Growth of the ultrasound fetal femur length during normal pregnancy. part i.
14767249 - Interaction of step length and step rate during sprint running.
11084959 - Fetal biometry at 4300 m compared to sea level in peru.
10426679 - Fetal ultrasound biometry: 2. abdomen and femur length reference values.
11880129 - Growth of the fetal lens and orbit.
12379379 - Use of fetal biometry to determine fetal age in late pregnancy in llamas.
8423969 - Outpatient abortion for fetal anomaly and fetal death from 15-34 menstrual weeks' gesta...
18818179 - No association found between use of very large doses of diazepam by 112 pregnant women ...
15919579 - Psychoneuroendocrine processes in human pregnancy influence fetal development and health.
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2012-1-11
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1945-7197     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2012 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2012-1-12     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0375362     Medline TA:  J Clin Endocrinol Metab     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council/University of Edinburgh Centre for Reproductive Health (R.T.M., A.J.C., R.A.A., S.v.d.D., P.T.K.S., C.M., R.M.S.), The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, United Kingdom; and Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Sick Children (R.T.M., W.H.B.W., C.J.H.K.), Edinburgh EH9 1LF, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Comparative Effects of Variations in Duodenal Glucose Load on Glycemic, Insulinemic, and Incretin Re...
Next Document:  Outpatient Thyroid Remnant Ablation Using Repeated Low 131-Iodine Activities (740 MBq/20 mCi x 2) in...