title: Maternal exposure to a mixture of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) causes reproductive dysfunction in adult male mouse offspring.
abstract: We investigated the effects of maternal exposure to the plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and the organic industrial compounds polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), singly and combined, on the reproductive function of male mouse offspring. Mice dams were exposed throughout pregnancy and lactation to 1μg PCBs (101+118)/kg/day, 50μg DEHP/kg/day, or the DEHP/PCB mixture in the diet. The mixture induced permanent alterations in adult F1 males' reproductive health in a way, differently from the single compounds. Depending on the endpoint, we observed: (1) synergy in altering the gross and histological morphology of the testis; (2) antagonism on the expression levels of genes involved in pituitary-gonadal cross-talk; (3) non-interactions on sperm parameters and testosterone production. This study illustrates the complex action of a DEHP/PCB mixture, leading to a unique panel of effects on the male reproductive system, indicating the need for research on the reproductive hazards of combined endocrine disruptors.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fiandanese
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Vitaliano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Borromeo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Martin Luther University, Faculty of Medicine, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Martin Luther University, Faculty of Medicine, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schaedlich
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Martin Luther University, Faculty of Medicine, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Juliane-Susanne
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Secchi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paola.pocar@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pocar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D051379:Mice; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000633:toxicity*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000235:genetics; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000235:genetics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010968:Plasticizers; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D011974:Receptors, LH; D013739:Testosterone; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); EDs mixture; Mouse; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Testis; Testosterone