Effects of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on gap and tight junction protein expression in the testis of prepubertal rats

The aim of this study was to analyze whether di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a Sertoli and Leydig cell toxicant, is able to induce alterations in the expression of testicular gap and tight junction proteins. DEHP was administered by gavage (1 g/5 mL corn oil/kg body weight/ day) to 25-day-old mal...

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Autores principales: Sobarzo, C.M., Lustig, L., Ponzio, R., Suescun, M.O., Denduchis, B.
Formato: JOUR
Lenguaje:English
Materias:
rat
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_1059910X_v72_n11_p868_Sobarzo
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Sumario:The aim of this study was to analyze whether di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a Sertoli and Leydig cell toxicant, is able to induce alterations in the expression of testicular gap and tight junction proteins. DEHP was administered by gavage (1 g/5 mL corn oil/kg body weight/ day) to 25-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for 2 days (DEHP-27d) and control rats were treated with corn-oil vehicle for 2 days (C-27d); animals were killed 24 h after the last treatment. Testes of DEHP-27d rats showed different degrees of germ cell sloughing of seminiferous tubules (ST). No alterations of the blood testis barrier (BTB) by lanthanum tracer study were observed. ST of DEHP-27d rats showed a milder immunofluorescence and more restricted expression of connexin-43 (Cx43) in the adluminal and basal compartment compared to C-27d. In DEHP-27d rats, we found a discontinuous immunofluorescent (IF) pattern for zonula occludens (ZO-1), contrasting with the continuous IF profile observed in C-27d, and a delocalization of claudin-11. A decrease in Cx43 and ZO-1 and no changes in occludin expression were detected by Western blot in the testes of DEHP-27d rats. Results from 57-day-old rats treated with DEHP for 2 days and held for 30 days without treatment showed that the alterations in protein expression induced by DEHP are reversible. However, a delay of spermatogenesis compared to C-57d rats, occurred. Data demonstrated that DEHP does not impair BTB permeability but induces germ cell sloughing that might respond to a down regulation of Cx43 and ZO-1 that alters cell junction proteins. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.