Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior
Xenobiotic exposure during pregnancy and lactation has been linked to perinatal changes in male reproductive outcomes and other endocrine parameters. This pilot study wished to assess whether brief maternal exposure of rats to xenobiotics dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) might als...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4163 |
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| author | Damien Hunter Kee Heng Navdeep Mann Ravinder Anand-Ivell Richard Ivell |
| author_facet | Damien Hunter Kee Heng Navdeep Mann Ravinder Anand-Ivell Richard Ivell |
| author_sort | Damien Hunter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Xenobiotic exposure during pregnancy and lactation has been linked to perinatal changes in male reproductive outcomes and other endocrine parameters. This pilot study wished to assess whether brief maternal exposure of rats to xenobiotics dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) might also cause long-term changes in hypothalamic gene expression or in reproductive behavior of the resulting offspring. Time-mated female Sprague Dawley rats were given either DBP (500 mg/kg body weight, every second day from GD14.5 to PND6), DES (125 µg/kg body weight at GD14.5 and GD16.5 only), or vehicle (<i>n</i> = 8–12 per group) and mild endocrine disruption was confirmed by monitoring postnatal anogenital distance. Hypothalamic RNA from male and female offspring at PND10, PND24 and PND90 was analyzed by qRT-PCR for expression of aromatase, oxytocin, vasopressin, ER-alpha, ER-beta, kisspeptin, and GnRH genes. Reproductive behavior was monitored in male and female offspring from PND60 to PND90. Particularly, DES treatment led to significant changes in hypothalamic gene expression, which for the oxytocin gene was still evident at PND90, as well as in sexual behavior. In conclusion, maternal xenobiotic exposure may not only alter endocrine systems in offspring but, by impacting on brain development at a critical time, can have long-term effects on male or female sexual behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:14:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b12f6c36b95147d986733c8c86301308 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:14:43Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b12f6c36b95147d986733c8c863013082023-11-21T15:59:04ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-04-01228416310.3390/ijms22084163Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual BehaviorDamien Hunter0Kee Heng1Navdeep Mann2Ravinder Anand-Ivell3Richard Ivell4School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, AustraliaXenobiotic exposure during pregnancy and lactation has been linked to perinatal changes in male reproductive outcomes and other endocrine parameters. This pilot study wished to assess whether brief maternal exposure of rats to xenobiotics dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) might also cause long-term changes in hypothalamic gene expression or in reproductive behavior of the resulting offspring. Time-mated female Sprague Dawley rats were given either DBP (500 mg/kg body weight, every second day from GD14.5 to PND6), DES (125 µg/kg body weight at GD14.5 and GD16.5 only), or vehicle (<i>n</i> = 8–12 per group) and mild endocrine disruption was confirmed by monitoring postnatal anogenital distance. Hypothalamic RNA from male and female offspring at PND10, PND24 and PND90 was analyzed by qRT-PCR for expression of aromatase, oxytocin, vasopressin, ER-alpha, ER-beta, kisspeptin, and GnRH genes. Reproductive behavior was monitored in male and female offspring from PND60 to PND90. Particularly, DES treatment led to significant changes in hypothalamic gene expression, which for the oxytocin gene was still evident at PND90, as well as in sexual behavior. In conclusion, maternal xenobiotic exposure may not only alter endocrine systems in offspring but, by impacting on brain development at a critical time, can have long-term effects on male or female sexual behavior.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4163hypothalamusendocrine disruptionsexual behavioroxytocinkisspeptin |
| spellingShingle | Damien Hunter Kee Heng Navdeep Mann Ravinder Anand-Ivell Richard Ivell Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior International Journal of Molecular Sciences hypothalamus endocrine disruption sexual behavior oxytocin kisspeptin |
| title | Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior |
| title_full | Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior |
| title_fullStr | Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior |
| title_short | Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior |
| title_sort | maternal exposure to dibutyl phthalate dbp or diethylstilbestrol des leads to long term changes in hypothalamic gene expression and sexual behavior |
| topic | hypothalamus endocrine disruption sexual behavior oxytocin kisspeptin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/8/4163 |
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