title: Boule gene expression underpins the meiotic arrest in spermatogenesis in male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to DEHP and butachlor.
abstract: Boule, the ancestor of the DAZ (Deleted in AZoospermia) gene family, in most organisms is mainly involved in male meiosis. The present study investigates the effects of the plasticizer DEHP (50mg/kg body weight) and herbicide butachlor (0.39mg/L) on male rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for a 10-day period in two independent experiments. The results showed that plasma testosterone (T) concentrations were significantly lower in fish exposed to either DEHP or butachlor compared to the control fish (P<0.05). Fish showed a significantly elevated hepatosomatic index (HSI) in the butachlor treatment (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in HSI values in the DEHP treatment (P>0.05). In addition, no significant differences were found in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) in both DEHP and butachlor treatments (P>0.05). Histologically, testes of male trout in the control groups were well differentiated and filled with large numbers of cystic structures containing spermatozoa. In contrast, the testes of male trout contained mostly spermatocytes with few spermatozoa in both treated group, suggesting that DEHP and butachlor may inhibit the progression of meiosis. Also, boule gene expression was significantly lower in the testes of male trout affected by DEHP and butachlor in comparison with their control groups (P<0.05), which confirmed the meiotic arrest in affected trout. Based on the results, the present study demonstrated that DEHP and butachlor can inhibit the progression of spermatogenesis in male trout, potentially by causing an arrest of meiosis, maybe due to down-regulation of boule gene expression through T and/or IGF1 via ERK1/2 signaling in T-independent pathways. In addition, these results confirmed that boule can be considered as a predictive marker to assess meiotic efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, P.O. Box: 14155-6453, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: S_ahmadivand@ut.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Sohrab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmadivand
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 4314, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Farahmand
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine Department, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 13169-43551, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ladan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teimoori-Toolabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 4314, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirvaghefi
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 4314, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eagderi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University (UGent), 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geerinckx
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, P.O. Box: 14155-6453, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shokrpoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, P.O. Box: 14155-6453, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rahmati-Holasoo
mesh_terms: D000083:Acetanilides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000083:Acetanilides; D006540:Herbicides; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; C054409:butachlor; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate
keywords: Azoospermia; Boule; Butachlor; DEHP; Testes; Trout