title: Maternal di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure during pregnancy causes fetal growth restriction in a stage-specific but gender-independent manner.
abstract: Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is male developmental toxicant that impairs testis development with reduced anogenital distance. The present study aimed to investigate whether maternal DEHP exposure during pregnancy causes intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in a gender-specific manner and to identify the critical window of DEHP-induced fetal IUGR. Pregnant mice were administered with DEHP (0, 50 or 200mg/kg) by gavage. Fetal IUGR was observed not only in males but also in females when litters were exposed to DEHP on gestational day (GD)0-GD17. Interestingly, fetal weight and crown-rump length were reduced, markedly in dams with DEHP on GD13-GD17, slightly in dams with on GD7-GD12, but not in dams with on GD0-GD6. Further analysis showed that maternal DEHP exposure on GD7-GD12 inhibited cell proliferation, lowered placental weight, and reduced blood sinusoid area in placental labyrinth layer. These results suggest that maternal DEHP exposure induces IUGR in a stage-specific but gender-independent manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Ru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China. Electronic address: yuanhuach@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, China. Electronic address: xudex@126.com.
authors.forename: De-Xiang
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate
keywords: Developmental toxicity; Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); Endocrine disrupting chemicals; Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)