[Differential expression of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L-1 in the rat testis following exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate in utero].
OBJECTIVE
To identify and analyze the differential expression of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L-1 (UCHL1) in the testis of rat offspring after maternal exposure to di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP).


METHODS
Forty pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups and given DBP by gastric intubation at the dose of 800 mg/(kg x d) or none from the 14-18th day of pregnancy. Testes were harvested from the fetal and neonatal rats of the normal and exposed groups respectively at GD19 and PND22. The expression of UCHL1 was detected and analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The UCHL1 expression was 50% lower in the DBP-exposed group than in the normal controls on GD19 (P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference between the two groups on PND22 (P > 0.05). UCHL1 was mainly located in the cytoplasm and nuclei of spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and sub-primary spermatocytes in the developmental phase of the testis.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure in utero to DBP affects the UCHL1 expression in testicular spermatogenic cells, disturbs the balance of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and consequently causes maldevelopment of the testis with thinner seminiferous tubules and reduced count of spermatogenic cells.
Xu
Zi-Cheng
ZC
Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China. sting_xzc@hotmail.com
Shen
Bai-Xin
BX
Ma
Long
L
Shen
Hua
H
Zhang
Wei
W
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase