Perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced testicular toxicity and differential testicular expression of estrogen receptor in male mice.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS, CAS#1763-23-1) causes male reproductive toxicities, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, 0, 0.5 and 10mg/kg/day PFOS were given by oral gavage to adult mice for 5 weeks. In the 10mg/kg group, serum testosterone levels decreased significantly. Sperm counts declined which might be associated with the decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of germ cells. In relation to increased apoptosis, bax, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3 levels elevated significantly, indicating that PFOS induced germ cell apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial pathway. In addition, the increase in levels of testicular estrogen receptor (ER) β was observed in both 0.5 and 10mg/kg group, whereas a decrease in ERα expression was only observed in 10mg/kg group. These results suggested that the alterations in testicular ERs expression, together with decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of germ cells, might be involved in PFOS-induced testicular toxicity.
School of Public Health, NanTong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China. Electronic address: qjhacm@163.com.
Jian-Hua
JH
Qu
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Chun-Cheng
CC
Lu
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Cheng
C
Xu
School of Public Health, NanTong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China.
Gang
G
Chen
School of Public Health, NanTong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China.
Liang-Lin
LL
Qiu
School of Public Health, NanTong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China.
Jun-Kang
JK
Jiang
School of Public Health, NanTong University, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China.
Shuai
S
Ben
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Yu-Bang
YB
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China. Electronic address: aihuagu@njmu.edu.cn.
Ai-Hua
AH
Gu
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China. Electronic address: xrwang@njmu.edu.cn.
Xin-Ru
XR
Wang
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D013739:Testosterone; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
Apoptosis; Estrogen receptor; PCNA; Spermatogenesis