Maternal exposure to bisphenol a during late pregnancy resulted in an increase of Calbindin-D9k mRNA and protein in maternal and postnatal rat uteri

It has been reported that Calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) is rapidly and strongly induced by environmental estrogenic compounds, possibly through estrogen receptors (ERalpha) in the uterus of mammals. CaBP-9k can be evaluated as an early gene marker for assaying estrogenic effects of putative environmental chemicals in the rat uterus. This study was undertaken to investigate CaBP-9k mRNA and protein expression in the postnatal rat uterus following maternal exposure to 17beta-estradiol (E2) and bisphenol A (BPA) during the neonatal period. Treatment with a high dose of BPA (600 mg/kg body weight (BW) per day) resulted in a 3-fold increase in CaBP-9k mRNA expression for 3 days, while a single dose of E2 (40 microg/kg BW per day) induced 2-fold increase of this gene in the maternal uterus. In an agreement with maternal CaBP-9k mRNA, postnatal CaBP-9k mRNA in the uterus increased 4-fold when treated with BPA (600 mg/kg BW per day). In addition, treatment with increasing concentrations of BPA resulted in significant increases in CaBP-9k protein in the maternal rat uterus. It is of interest that increasing doses of BPA induced a significant ERalpha mRNA increase in the postnatal uterus. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed that treatment with BPA induced CaBP-9k protein in the maternal uterus. We demonstrated that maternal exposure to BPA during late pregnancy induced CaBP-9k mRNA and protein in maternal and postnatal rat uteri. These results suggest that rapid absorption and distribution of environmental estrogenic compounds occurs in maternal and neonatal rat uteri and these chemicals can easily pass though the placenta during pregnancy to affect postnatal reproductive functions.     

Effects of maternal diet and exposure to bisphenol A on sexually dimorphic responses in conceptuses and offspring

Whereas sexual differentiation is considered as the onset of differentiation of the male or female gonads, mounting evidence indicates that sex differences in developmental programming are established as early as the zygotic stage. Genetic and epigenetic differences between the sexes might govern how each responds to shifts in their early environment, including in the uterus or culture dish, as in the case of in vitro cultured pre-implantational embryos. Even if no differences are evident between the sexes at birth, divergent conceptus responses to surrounding changes, such as maternal diet and exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC), such as bisphenol A (BPA), might predispose one sex over the other to later adult-onset diseases, otherwise termed developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD). Overall, males subjected to less than optimal in utero conditions tend to be at greater risk for various diseases, including neurobehavioural disorders. As the placenta is the primary nutrient acquisition and communication organ between the dam and foetus, its ability to adapt rapidly to environmental shifts might buffer the conceptus against environmental insults. The placenta of one sex over the other might possess greater ability to respond to environmental fluctuations. In utero environmental changes, including maternal nutrient excess or reduction or exposure to the EDC, BPA, might govern sex-dependent behavioural alterations. In sum, this review examines the evidence to date that male and female zygotes and conceptuses diverge in their responses to shifting environmental conditions and whether these contrasting sexually dimorphic responses underpin later DOHaD outcomes, namely neurobehavioural changes.     

孕鼠暴露双酚A对仔鼠存活率、生殖激素及相关基因的影响

为了研究孕鼠在孕期暴露双酚A（bisphenol A,BPA）对仔鼠生殖激素及相关基因的影响,试验将40只昆明孕鼠随机分为A、B、C、D共4组,每组10只。其中A组为对照组,饲喂普通鼠粮;B、C、D组孕鼠整个妊娠期（妊娠1 d至分娩）分别按每只鼠每天50、500、2 500 mg/kg体重给予BPA,待孕鼠自然分娩,观察记录仔鼠死亡情况。至仔鼠性成熟（56日龄）剖杀仔鼠,摘取睾丸或卵巢称重并计算脏器指数,HE染色观察卵巢或睾丸组织结构的变化,ELISA试剂盒分析仔鼠血清睾酮（T）、促卵泡素（FSH）及雌二醇（E₂）水平,免疫组织化学方法检测仔鼠睾丸或卵巢Bax、Bcl-2蛋白的表达,实时荧光定量PCR检测仔鼠睾丸StAR、CYP11a或卵巢AMH、Kitlg mRNA表达。结果显示,孕鼠暴露BPA极显著增加了仔鼠死亡率（P<0.01）,显著降低了仔鼠睾丸重（P<0.05）。ELISA检测结果表明,孕鼠暴露BPA极显著降低了仔鼠T（♂）及FSH（♀）含量（P<0.01）,极显著升高了仔鼠（♀） E₂水平（P<0.01）。HE染色结果显示,随BPA剂量增加,仔鼠睾丸组织损伤严重,间质细胞减少;卵巢组织结构随BPA剂量增大,空泡逐渐增多,黄体颗粒数量逐渐减少。免疫组化结果显示,孕鼠暴露BPA增加了仔鼠睾丸或卵巢组织中Bax阳性蛋白表达,减少了Bcl-2阳性蛋白表达,显著降低了雄性仔鼠StAR mRNA表达量（P<0.05）;B、D组雄性仔鼠CYP11a mRNA表达量极显著降低（P<0.01）,而C组CYP11a mRNA表达量极显著升高（P<0.01）;C、D组雌鼠Kitlg mRNA表达极显著降低（P<0.01）,AMH mRNA表达量显著升高（P<0.05）。本试验结果表明,孕鼠妊娠期暴露不同剂量BPA增加了仔鼠死亡率,扰乱了生殖激素平衡和睾丸/卵巢中相关凋亡蛋白及生殖基因表达。     

Relationship between retinoic acid receptor alpha gene expression and growth-inhibitory effect of all-trans retinoic acid on canine tumor cells

Retinoids show antitumor effects on human acute promyelocytic leukemia and other tumors via retinoid receptors. In dogs, the role of retinoid receptors in inhibiting tumor development remains unclear. To evaluate the correlation between the degree of expression of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha) mRNA and the antiproliferative effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatments, expression analysis of RARalpha mRNA and cell growth inhibition assay were performed on 17 established canine tumor cell lines, including 6 mammary gland tumor (MGT) cell lines, 3 osteosarcoma cell lines, 5 melanoma cell lines, and 3 mast cell tumor (MCT) cell lines. Among the cell lines investigated, all 3 MCT cell lines showed high expression of RARalpha, and the most effective cell growth inhibition was observed in ATRA-treated MCT cell lines. However, remarkable antiproliferative effects of ATRA treatments were not observed on other tumor cell lines with moderate or low RARalpha mRNA expression. As a result of the relationship between RARalpha mRNA expression and ATRA treatment with regression analysis, statistically significant correlation was suggested. Furthermore, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of RARalpha was performed on MCT tissue samples of dogs with spontaneous disease, and 5 of 9 tissues showed high expression. These results suggest that ATRA may be an effective antitumor agent for MCT in dogs, and that prior measurement of expression of RARalpha mRNA may be a good indicator of the effectiveness of ATRA treatment.     

Effects of oral exposure of bisphenol A on mRNA expression of nuclear receptors in murine placentae assessed by DNA microarray

Bisphenol A (BPA), a candidate endocrine disruptor (ED), is considered to bind to estrogen receptors and to regulate expressions of estrogen responsive genes. It has also shown evidence of affecting the reproductive, immunological and nervous systems of mammalian embryos. However, the effects of BPA on placentae, a central organ of feto-maternal interlocution, are still unclear. To reveal the mechanisms of BPA effects on placentae in mammals, we compared the mRNA expression of 20 nuclear receptors between placentae of vehicle controls and those of orally BPA exposed pregnant mice by a DNA microarray technique. In murine placentae, mRNAs of 11 nuclear receptors were not detected. However, greater than 1.5 fold changes in mRNA expression of nine nuclear receptors between vehicle control and BPA treated mice were noted. Moreover, remarkable changes in mRNA expression of six non-nuclear receptor proteins were induced by BPA exposure. There were various differences in the effects of BPA on the expression of these mRNAs between the placentae with male embryos and those with female embryos. Such embryo-sex dependent differences are interesting and important pointers to understanding of the endocrine disrupting effect of BPA. The present data indicate that BPA affects the expression of nuclear receptor mRNAs in placentae and may disrupt the physiological functions of placentae.     

Effects of Maternal Exposure to Bisphenol A on Survival Rate,Reproductive Hormones and Relative Genes of Offspring Mice

This study was aimed to investigate the reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) exposed to the mother on the offsprings mice. Forty pregnant Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e. groups A, B, C and D with 10 mice in each group. Group A was the control group and the mice received conventional feeds, mice in groups B, C and D were given 50,500 and 2 500 mg/kg BW BPA in feedstuffs during the whole gestation period (from 1 d to parturition), respectively. The death rates of the offsprings were calculated every week. The offspring mice were sacrificed at 56 days of age (at puberty). The morphology of ovary and testicular tissues were observed with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of estradiol (E₂), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T) in mice serum were detected with ELISA Kit. The protein levels of Bax and Bcl-2 in ovary or testicular tissues were detected with immunohistochemistry, and the StAR,CYP11a mRNA levels in testicular tissues, the AMH, Kitlg mRNA levels in ovary were measured using Real-time PCR. The results showed that exposure of BPA to the mother extremely significantly increased the mortality (P<0.01),and significantly reduced the testicular weight of offspring mice (P<0.05). Maternal exposure to BPA extremely significantly reduced the levels of T (♂) and FSH(♀) (P<0.01),and extremely significantly elevated E₂ (♀) level in offspring mice (P<0.01). BPA exposure damaged the testicular with less leydig cells and ovarian tissues with more vacuoles and less corpus granules in offspring mice. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that maternal exposure to BPA increased the Bax protein level and decreased the Bcl-2 protein level of testicular and ovary tissues in offspring mice. BPA significantly reduced the StAR mRNA expression in male offsprings (P<0.05). However, the mRNA level of CYP11a in groups B and D extremely significantly decreased while group C showed an significant elevation in male offsprings (P<0.01). The expression levels of Kitlg mRNA in groups C and D were decreased extremely significantly in female offsprings (P<0.01), the AMH mRNA expression in groups C and D increased significantly (P<0.05). The conclusion indicated that pregnant mice exposed to different doses of BPA had harmful effects on survival rate in offspring mice, and impact the reproductive hormones, proteins and genes expression.     

Maternal exposure to low doses of bisphenol a has no effects on development of female reproductive tract and uterine carcinogenesis in Donryu rats

Effects of maternal exposure to low doses of bisphenol A (BPA), including those comparable with human exposure levels, on growth and development of the female reproductive system and uterine carcinogenesis in Donryu rats were investigated. Dams were administered BPA (0, 0.006 and 6 mg/kg/day) daily by gavage from gestation day 2 up to the day before weaning (postnatal day 21 at offspring). The serum levels of BPA were significantly elevated in the dams receiving 6 mg/kg/day, however, BPA levels in the milk of dams, and those in the serum and liver of offspring were similar between control and treated groups. The treatment did not exert any influences on uterine development including weight, gland genesis and estrogen receptor alpha expression, vaginal opening and gonadotropin secretion in the female offspring up to puberty. After maturation, no effects were evident with regard to estrous cyclicity in female offspring treated with BPA. In addition, the treatment had no effects on age-related morphological changes of the reproductive and endocrine organs and uterine carcinogenesis until 15 months of age. The results demonstrate that maternal exposure to BPA at levels comparable to human exposure did not have any effects on the female reproductive system of offspring in rats. In addition, BPA was also found in the serum, milk and liver of control dams and pups, and low levels of BPA were detected in drinking water and pellet diet. The present study showed that the experimental animals were also exposed to environmental BPA in the animal room.     

Development of the skeleton in mouse fetuses of both sexes between 14.5 and 18.5 days post coitum

Ossification during embryogenesis of female and male mouse fetuses between 14.5 and 18.5 days post coitum (d.p.c.) was investigated with two methods. The Alizarin-red based method allows differential staining of cartilage and bone tissue on whole animal, however standard histochemical methods allow detailed identification of cells involved in ossification process. There were minor differences in the time of occurrence of some ossification centers between male and female mouse fetuses in a period of 14.5 - 18.5 d.p.c. At 14.5 d.p.c. ossification of female but not male mandible was observed and at 18.5 d.p.c. histochemistry demonstrated ossification in the phalanges in male but not in female.     

Expression of oestrogen receptor alpha during development of the skeleton in mice fetuses: immunohistochemical study

Sequential pattern of ossification and expression of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) during development of the skeleton in male and female mice fetuses was investigated. Twenty-seven mice fetuses of gestational age between 14.5 and 18.5 days post coitum (p.c.) were examined by haematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue staining to determine the ossification. The presence of ERalpha was detected by immunostaining using ERalpha-specific antibodies. Ossification centres were determined in fetuses of 14.5 days p.c. of both sexes in the base of skull, ribs and front limbs, while in the mandible ossification was observed only in female fetuses at that age. ERalpha was found in all investigated tissues in which the occurrence of ossification centres was determined. ERalpha was first detected in some tissues involved in ossification at 14.5 days p.c. in fetuses of both genders. There were some minor gender differences in the pattern of ERalpha expression. ERalpha was localized in the metatarsal chondrogenic condensations at 14.5 days p.c. and in phalangeal chondrocytes at 17.5 and 18.5 days p.c. only in females. ERalpha-positive osteogenic cells at 14.5 days p.c. in the mandible were seen only in females. At 16.5 days p.c. male but not female fetuses expressed ERalpha in the vertebrae. Our findings support the view that ERalpha protein is found in the tissues that undergo bone formation and that ERalpha expression in these tissues shows only minor gender differences in mice fetuses.     

Ⅰ型雏鸭肝炎病毒侵染后鸭组织中ALB基因表达的分析

检测Ⅰ型雏鸭肝炎病毒侵染后ALB基因mRNA以及ALB蛋白分别在肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、大脑、小脑、腿肌和胸腺等组织中的相对表达量和含量并分析其意义。分别利用实时荧光定量RT-PCR技术和ELISA法检测ALB基因在易感组、抗病组和对照组各组织中mRNA的表达量以及ALB蛋白含量。总体而言,除腿肌外,ALB基因mRNA在易感组中的表达量极显著低于对照组和抗病组(P<0.01),抗病组显著或极显著低于对照组(P<0.01或P<0.05);各处理组间,肝、小脑和胸腺中ALB蛋白含量与ALB基因mRNA相对表达量规律一致,在其他组织中,各处理组间ALB蛋白含量差异均不显著(P>0.05)。RT-PCR与ELISA的结果比较可见,两者在肝脏、胸腺、小脑等与雏鸭肝炎病直接相关的指示性组织中表现一致。本试验研究结果,进一步揭示了ALB基因为Ⅰ型雏鸭肝炎病的抗性基因,与前期抑制性消减杂交法得到的结果一致,其表达量的变化可以作为区分易感鸭和抗病鸭的标志。     

Ontogeny of mRNA abundance of nuclear receptors and nuclear receptor target genes in young cattle

After birth the development of appropriate detoxification mechanisms is important. Nuclear receptors (NR), such as constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha), retinoid receptors (RAR, RXR), and NR target genes are involved in the detoxification of exogenous and endogenous substances. We quantified abundances of hepatic mRNA of NR and several NR target genes (cytochromes, CYP; cytochrome P450 reductase, CPR; UDP-glucuronosyl transferase, UDP) in calves at different ages. Gene expression was quantified by real-time RT-PCR. Abundance of mRNA of CAR and PXR increased from low levels at birth in pre-term calves (P0) and full-term calves (F0) to higher levels in 5-day-old calves (F5) and in 159-day-old veal calves (F159), whereas mRNA levels of PPARalpha did not exhibit significant ontogenetic changes. RARbeta mRNA levels were higher in F5 and F159 than in F0, whereas no age differences were observed for RARalpha levels. Levels of RXRalpha and RXRbeta mRNA were lower in F5 than in P0 and F0. Abundance of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 increased from low levels in P0 and F0 to higher levels in F5 and to highest levels in F159. Abundance of CPR was transiently decreased in F0 and F5 calves. Levels of UGT1A1 mRNA increased from low levels in P0 and F0 to maximal level in F5 and F159. In conclusion, mRNA levels of NR and NR target genes exhibited ontogenetic changes that are likely of importance for handling of xeno- and endobiotics with increasing age.     

Differential effects of the endocrine-disrupting compounds bisphenol-A and octylphenol on gonadotropin secretion, in prepubertal ewe lambs

This study examined the effects of long-term exposure to the endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Octylphenol (OP) on gonadotrophin secretion in pre-pubertal female sheep. Four-week-old, female lambs were randomly allocated to four groups (n=6), and twice each week treated with i.m. injections of either corn oil (vehicle controls), diethylstilbestrol (DES; 0.175mg/kg), BPA (3.5mg/kg) or OP (3.5mg/kg). After 5 weeks of treatment, animals were ovariectomized (ovx) and ovary weights recorded. Two weeks later, blood samples were collected from lambs every 15min for 6h, for LH pulse analysis. Animals were then euthanased and adrenal and kidney weight recorded. An age-related increase in tonic LH secretion was noted in Control, BPA- and OP-treated lambs, but was absent in DES-treated lambs. Following ovx, LH secretion increased in all except DES-treated lambs; FSH concentrations increased in all groups. BPA and DES significantly suppressed LH pulse frequency (C: 6.7+/-0.3pulses/6h, DES: 1.5+/-0.8pulses/6h, BPA: 2.3+/-0.8pulses/6h) and amplitude (C: 7.1+/-1.0ng/ml, DES: 1.9+/-0.6ng/ml, BPA: 1.6+/-0.4ng/ml). OP had no effect on LH secretion (Frequency: 5.8+/-0.5pulses/6h, amplitude: 8.0+/-2.0ng/ml). Ovary weight was similar among all groups. Results show that chronic in vivo exposure of prepubertal female lambs to BPA, at levels lower than those reported previously, can have significant effects on LH secretion that are comparable to those seen following exposure to the known xenoestrogen, DES. Exposure to an equal dose of the EDC OP, over the equivalent period of time was without effect on gonadotropin secretion in the prepubertal ewe lamb. These results indicate that exposure of prepubertal female lambs to the EDC BPA can induce significant effects on gonadotropin secretion, the potential long-term effects of exposure and the effects of these changes on reproductive performance and efficacy, therefore, merit further study.     

Diesel exhaust particle toxicity on spermatogenesis in the mouse is aryl hydrocarbon receptor dependent

Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are particulate matter from diesel exhaust containing many toxic compounds, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Some toxicities of PAH are considered to express via aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We hypothesized that the male reproductive toxicity of DEPs may depend on PAHs. BALB/c male mice received 24.7, 74.0 or 220 microg/mouse DEP suspension or vehicle injected into the dorsal subcutaneous layer 10 times during 5 weeks. The mice were euthanized, and blood and organs were collected 2 weeks after the last treatment. The epididymis weights, relative epididymis weights per body weight and daily sperm productions and viabilities of the 74.0 and 220 microg/mouse DEP-treated groups decreased significantly compared with those of the vehicle group. The total incidence of sperm abnormalities in the 74.0 and 220 microg/mouse DEP-treated groups increased significantly compared with the vehicle group. The seminiferous epithelium area ratios of the 74.0 and 220 microg/mouse DEP-treated groups were significantly higher compared with the vehicle and 24.6 microg/mouse DEP-treated groups. The ratios of seminiferous tubules with elongated-type spermatids in the 74.0 and 220 microg/mouse DEP-treated groups were significantly decreased compared with the vehicle group. The testosterone level and hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity as an indirect index of AhR activity in the 74.0 microg/mouse DEP-treated group were significantly increased compared with those of the vehicle group. These results clearly demonstrated that DEPs suppress testicular function, especially spermatogenesis and sperm motility. These effects may be AhR dependent.