title: The effects of PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy on placental ET-1 and eNOS expression and the birth weight of offspring.
abstract: Decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209) is a persistent organic pollutant. Gestational exposure to PBDE-209 can accumulate in pregnant women and fetuses via the placenta and umbilical cord, affecting perinatal outcome. In this study, pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups and intragastrically administered peanut oil (vehicle) 1, 5 and 10mg/kg by body weight (b.w.) of PBDE-209, or nothing (control) from day 0 (G0) to day 21 (G21) gestation, respectively. Placental samples were collected on G21 by cesarean section. The mRNA and protein expressions of ET-1, eNOS and iNOS in the placenta were examined using qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Total nitric oxide (NO) in the placenta was measured using a specific ELISA kit. Compared with the control and vehicle groups, the mRNA expression of ET-1 and iNOS in the placenta was gradually and significantly increased after exposure to increasing concentrations of PBDE-209 (P<0.05), while the mRNA level of eNOS in the placenta was gradually and significantly reduced after exposure to increasing concentrations of PBDE-209 (P<0.05). The expression trends of ET-1, eNOS and iNOS proteins were consistent with those of mRNA expression. Interestingly, the production of total NO was significantly increased after exposure to 5 and 10mg/kg b.w. PBDE-209 (P<0.05). Finally, the birth weight of the offspring rats was significantly reduced after maternal exposure to 5 and 10 mg/kg b.w. PBDE-209 compared with the control and vehicle groups (P<0.05). These results suggest that PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy upregulates ET-1 and iNOS expression, but decreases eNOS expression in the placenta, as well as reduces the birth weight of offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Peili
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Huili
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Yutian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nan Fang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. Electronic address: yuyh1010@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510150, China. Electronic address: gzdrchen@gzhmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dunjin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; C010902:decabromobiphenyl ether
keywords: ET-1; NO; PBDE-209; Placenta; eNOS