GSE136994
Evaluation of the potential toxicity mechanism of single and combined exposure of dibutyl phthalate and diisobutyl phthalate to zebrafish (Danio rerio) testis based on transcriptomic analysis
Aquatic organisms are generally exposed to a mixture of phthalate esters (PAEs) that have been shown to induce reproductive toxicity. However, their potential toxicity mechanisms to aquatic organisms remain unclear. Here male zebrafish were exposed to dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) and their mixtures for 30 days, and their effects on plasma sex hormones, testis histology and testis transcriptomics were investigated. DBP, DiBP and their mixtures could induce the disequilibrating ratio of testosterone (T) and plasma estradiol (E2) in plasma. The percentage of spermatozoa (Sz) was significantly decreased by 30.6% under DBP-1133 exposure and 27.8% under Mix-3 exposure, and widen intercellular spaces appeared under DiBP-1038 exposure. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 2795 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the DBP-1133 exposure group, 1613 DEGs in the DiBP-1038 exposure group and 4570 DEGs in the Mix-3 exposure group, indicating that the toxicity of combined exposure was higher than that of single exposure. Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction was associated with the toxicity mechanism of DBP, DiBP and Mix. While GnRH signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway were related to the toxicity mechanism of DBP. ECM-receptor interaction, steroid hormone biosynthesis, retinol metabolism and PPAR signaling pathway were associated with the toxicity mechanism of DiBP and Mix. Overall design: Testis mRNA sequencing of adult female zebrafish after single and combined exposure to DBP and DiBP for 30 days