Document Detail


Effects of maternal toluene exposure on testosterone levels in fetal rats.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19110042     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The goal of our study was to determine if toluene affected the synthesis and secretion of testosterone in fetal rats. Dams were exposed to atmospheres that contained 0.09 ppm, 0.9 ppm or 9 ppm of toluene for 90 min/day from gestational days (GDs) 14.5 to 18.5 via nasal inhalation. Fetal plasma testosterone concentrations determined by enzyme immunoassay were significantly reduced on GD 18.5 after exposure to 0.9 and 9 ppm, but not to 0.09 ppm, of toluene in male, but not in female, fetuses. We measured, using real-time PCR methods, mRNA levels in fetal testes for several steroidogenic enzymes involved in testosterone synthesis and insulin-like 3 (Insl3), a maker of Leydig cell differentiation. The mRNA levels of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD) were significantly reduced after exposure to 0.9-ppm toluene. However, the mRNA levels of cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage, cytochrome P450 17alpha-hydroxylase/c17-20 lyase, 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and Insl3 were not significantly altered by exposure to 0.9-ppm toluene. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis showed reduced 3beta-HSD-immunoreactive areas in the interstitial region of fetal testes after exposure to 0.9 and 9 ppm, but not 0.09 ppm, toluene. These findings indicate that toluene reduced the synthesis and secretion of testosterone in fetal testes from rats possibly as a consequence of reduced 3beta-HSD expression.
Authors:
Shinji Tsukahara; Daisuke Nakajima; Yoshiko Kuroda; Rieko Hojo; Shiho Kageyama; Hidekazu Fujimaki
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2008-12-06
Journal Detail:
Title:  Toxicology letters     Volume:  185     ISSN:  0378-4274     ISO Abbreviation:  Toxicol. Lett.     Publication Date:  2009 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-02-09     Completed Date:  2009-04-06     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7709027     Medline TA:  Toxicol Lett     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  79-84     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Research Center for Environmental Risk, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Onogawa 16-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan. tsukahara@nies.go.jp
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Air Pollutants / pharmacokinetics,  toxicity*
Animals
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Fetal Blood / chemistry*
Inhalation Exposure / adverse effects*
Male
Maternal Exposure / adverse effects*
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Pregnancy
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
Testis / drug effects,  embryology,  metabolism
Testosterone / biosynthesis,  blood*
Toluene / pharmacokinetics,  toxicity*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Air Pollutants; 108-88-3/Toluene; 58-22-0/Testosterone

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


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