Cypermethrin exposure during puberty disrupts testosterone synthesis via downregulating StAR in mouse testes.
Cypermethrin is a widely used synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. Previous studies showed that cypermethrin significantly decreased the fertility and reduced the number of implantation sites and viable fetuses in females impregnated by males exposed to cypermethrin. As yet, little is known about the mechanism of cypermethrin-induced reproductive toxicity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cypermethrin exposure during puberty on steroidogenesis in mice. Young male mice were administered with cypermethrin (25 mg/kg) by gavage daily from postnatal day (PND) 35 to PND70. Results showed that the level of serum and testicular testosterone (T) was markedly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Additional experiment showed that cypermethrin exposure during puberty markedly downregulated mRNA level of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in testes. Correspondingly, protein level of testicular StAR was significantly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Cypermethrin exposure during puberty did not affect the number of Leydig cells in testes. Although cypermethrin exposure during puberty did not affect the weight of testes and epididymides, the number of sperm in the cauda epididymides was significantly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Taken together, these results indicate that cypermethrin exposure during puberty significantly disrupts T synthesis via downregulating the expression of testicular StAR. The decreased T synthesis might be associated with cypermethrin-induced impairment in spermatogenesis in mice.
Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Hua
H
Wang
Qun
Q
Wang
Xian-Feng
XF
Zhao
Ping
P
Liu
Xiu-Hong
XH
Meng
Tao
T
Yu
Yan-Li
YL
Ji
Heng
H
Zhang
Cheng
C
Zhang
Ying
Y
Zhang
De-Xiang
DX
Xu
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
D007306:Insecticides; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011722:Pyrethrins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; C017160:cypermethrin; D013739:Testosterone; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase