Exposure to the environmental estrogen bisphenol A differentially modulated estrogen receptor-alpha and -beta immunoreactivity and mRNA in male mouse testis.
We examined the effects of bisphenol A (0.5 microg/ml or 50 microg/ml) in the drinking water on estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta proteins and mRNA in the testis of young mice following 8-weeks of oral administration of bisphenol A utilizing immunohistochemistry and semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification (RT-PCR). ER beta was clearly localized in the nuclei of spermatogonia and/or spermatocytes. ER beta immunopositive cell numbers per testis section were significantly decreased in the 50 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group compared with control and the 0.5 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group. The number of ER alpha positive cells in the testis was significantly lower than ER beta positive cells in control group. ER alpha immunopositive cell numbers per testis section were markedly increased in the 50 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group compared with the control and the 0.5 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group. ER beta mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the 50 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group compared with the control and the 0.5 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group. In contrast, ER alpha mRNA expression was markedly increased in the 50 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group compared with the control and the 0.5 microg/ml bisphenol A-treated group. The existence of ER alpha and beta in the testis suggests that estrogens directly affect germ cells during testicular development and spermatogenesis, and differential modulation of ER alpha and beta in the testis could be involved in the effects of bisphenol A.
Takao
Toshihiro
T
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku 783-8505, Japan. takaot@med.kochi-ms.ac.jp
Nanamiya
Wakako
W
Nazarloo
Hossein Pournajafi
HP
Matsumoto
Reiko
R
Asaba
Koichi
K
Hashimoto
Kozo
K
D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000187:drug effects*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D010636:Phenols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds