title: Exposure to benzo[a]pyrene impairs decidualization and decidual angiogenesis in mice during early pregnancy.
abstract: Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a ubiquitous environmental persistent organic pollutant and a well-known endocrine disruptor. BaP exposure could alter the steroid balance in females. Endometrium decidualization and decidual angiogenesis are critical events for embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance during early pregnancy and are modulated by steroids. However, the effect of BaP on decidualization is not clear. This study aimed to explore the effects of BaP on decidualization and decidual angiogenesis in pregnant mice. The result showed that the uteri in the BaP-treated groups were smaller and exhibited an uneven size compared with those in the control group. Artificial decidualization was detected in the uteri of the controls, but weakened decidualization response was observed in the BaP-treated groups. BaP significantly reduced the levels of estradiol, progesterone, and their cognate receptors ER and PR, respectively. The expression of several decidualization-related factors, including FOXO1, HoxA10, and BMP2, were altered after BaP treatment. BaP reduced the expression of cluster designation 34 (CD34), which indicated that the decidual angiogenesis was inhibited by BaP treatment. In addition, BaP induced the downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor A. These data suggest that oral BaP ingestion compromised decidualization and decidual angiogenesis. Our results provide experimental data for the maternal reproductive toxicity of BaP during early pregnancy, which is very important for a comprehensive risk assessment of BaP on human reproductive health.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: 821820877@qq.com.
authors.forename: Xueyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: shencha@yeah.net.
authors.forename: Cha
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: a68733172@online.cq.cn.
authors.forename: Xueqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: hejunlin_11@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Junlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: dingyb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yubin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: gao_ru_fei@163.com.
authors.forename: Rufei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: Anniemachine@163.com.
authors.forename: Xinyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: aqing000@163.com.
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: wyx61221@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yingxiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Box 197, No.1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, 400016 Chongqing, PR China. Electronic address: shirly-cxm@163.com.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000633:toxicity*; D003656:Decidua / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
keywords: Benzo[a]pyrene; Decidual angiogenesis; Decidualization