title: Effects of Diisodecyl Phthalate on PPAR:RXR-Dependent Gene Expression Pathways in Sea Bream Hepatocytes.
abstract: Evidence that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may target metabolic disturbances, beyond interference with the functions of the endocrine systems has recently accumulated. Among EDCs, phthalate plasticizers like the diisodecyl phthalate (DiDP) are commonly found contaminants of aquatic environments and have been suggested to function as obesogens by activating peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs), a subset of nuclear receptors (NRs) that act as metabolic sensors, playing pivotal roles in lipid homeostasis. However, little is known about the modulation of PPAR signaling pathways by DiDP in fish. In this study, we have first investigated the ligand binding efficiency of DiDP to the ligand binding domains of PPARs and retinoid-X-receptor-α (RXRα) proteins in fish using a molecular docking approach. Furthermore, in silico predictions were integrated by in vitro experiments to show possible dose-relationship effects of DiDP on PPAR:RXR-dependent gene expression pathways using sea bream hepatocytes. We observed that DiDP shows high binding efficiency with piscine PPARs demonstrating a greater preference for RXRα. Our studies also demonstrated the coordinate increased expression of PPARs and RXRα, as well as their downstream target genes in vitro. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed the strength of relationship between transcription of most genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and PPAR mRNA levels. In particular, fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was highly correlated to all PPARs. The results of this study suggest that DiDP can be considered an environmental stressor that activates PPAR:RXR signaling to promote long-term changes in lipid homeostasis leading to potential deleterious physiological consequences in teleost fish.
authors.affiliation: †School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cocci
authors.affiliation: †School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mosconi
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Augustine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arukwe
authors.affiliation: †School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mozzicafreddo
authors.affiliation: †School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.affiliation: §Controllo Statistico, Pescara, Italy.|⊥Marine Protected Area Torre del Cerrano, 64025 Pineto (TE), Italy.
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aretusi
authors.affiliation: †School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco Alessandro
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Palermo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D047492:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D005227:Fatty Acids; D029941:Fish Proteins; D047492:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C042080:diisodecyl phthalate