title: Pubertal exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate influences social behavior and dopamine receptor D2 of adult female mice.
abstract: DEHP, one of the most commonly phthalates used in plastics and many other products, is an environmental endocrine disruptor (EED). Puberty is another critical period for the brain development besides the neonatal period and is sensitive to EEDs. Social behavior is organized during puberty, so the present study is to investigate whether pubertal exposure to DEHP influenced social behavior of adult female mice. The results showed that pubertal exposure to DEHP for 2 weeks did not change the serum level of 17β-estradiol and the weight of uterus of adult females, but decreased the number of grid crossings and the frequency of rearing, and increased grooming in open field. DEHP reduced the open arm entries and the time spent in open arms in the elevated plus maze. DEHP reduced mutual sniffing and grooming between unfamiliar conspecifics in social play task and reduced the right chamber (containing unfamiliar female mouse) entries and the frequency of sniffing unfamiliar female mouse. DEHP at 1 mg kg(-1) d(-1) reduced the time spent in right chamber. Furthermore, Western blot analyses showed that DEHP decreased the levels of estrogen receptor β (ERβ), dopamine receptor D2, and the phosphorylation of ERKs in striatum. These results suggest that pubertal exposure to DEHP impaired social investigation and sociability and influenced anxiety-like state of adult female mice. The decreased activity of ERK1/2, and the down-regulated D2 and ERβ in striatum may be associated with the DEHP-induced changes of emotional and social behavior in mice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology, Chemistry and Life Sciences College, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology, Chemistry and Life Sciences College, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China. Electronic address: xuxh63@zjnu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology, Chemistry and Life Sciences College, Zhejiang Normal University, PR China.
authors.forename: Qingjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D004958:Estradiol; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
keywords: Anxiety; Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; Dopamine receptor D2; Estrogen receptor β; Social behavior