Effects of gestational exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate and mineral oil on testis development of the Mongolian gerbil

Abstract

Phthalate esters are endocrine disrupters that can affect the development of the testis in a species-specific manner. However, their interference in the male gonads of the Mongolian gerbil is unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether gestational exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) interferes with the development of the gerbil testis during the first six weeks of life. Males were evaluated at 1, 7, 14, 28, 35 and 42 days of age in an untreated (control) group or groups exposed from 8 to 23 days gestation to DBP (100mgkg-1day-1 in mineral oil) or vehicle by maternal gavage. DBP exposure impaired cell proliferation within the seminiferous cords at birth, but increased proliferation at the end of the first week, when higher testosterone concentrations were observed. The vehicle (mineral oil) reduced the total number of gonocytes and attenuated the decrease in testosterone concentrations at 7 days. The vehicle also altered gonocyte relocation at 14 days and increased oestrogen concentrations at 28 days by approximately 112%. In summary, both DBP and oil interfered in gonadal development and testosterone plasma concentrations in the first week of postnatal life. However, the changes observed at the beginning of puberty were not seen after exposure to DBP, indicating a more harmful effect of mineral oil in this period.

Postnatal exposure to finasteride causes different effects on the prostate of male and female gerbils

“…In addition to exogenous hormone exposure, other substances, which are not hormones but which alter normal hormonal function—called endocrine disruptors—, also have the capacity of altering prostate development (Doshi et al, 2011; Vandenberg et al, 2011; Sanches et al, 2016b). These substances, such as BPA (Josephson, 2006; Colleta et al, 2017), phthalates (Guo and Kannan, 2013; Christante et al, 2018; Negrin et al, 2018) and parabens (Boberg et al, 2010; Costa et al, 2017), mimic the action of hormones on the body. Other compounds act on enzymes that metabolize steroids, including anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole; these have an inhibitory role on aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to oestradiol (Ellem and Risbridger, 2010).…”

Avaliação dos efeitos da finasterida sobre o desenvolvimento prostático intrauterino e pós-natal inicial de fêmeas e machos do gerbilo da Mongólia ("Meriones unguiculatus")

“…[4][5][6][7][8] In addition to exogenous hormone exposure, other substances that are not hormones but which alter normal hormonal function-called endocrine disruptors-also have the capacity to alter prostate development. [9][10][11] Substances such as BPA, 12, 13 phthalates [14][15][16] and parabens 17,18 mimic the action of hormones on the body. Other compounds act on enzymes that metabolize steroids, including anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole; these have an inhibitory role on aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to oestradiol.…”