The orl Rat with Inherited Cryptorchidism Has Increased Susceptibility to the Testicular Effects of In Utero Dibutyl Phthalate Exposure

• DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfn140
• Publication Date: 2008-07-11T20:24:14Z
• Authors: Kamin J. Johnson; Suzanne M. McCahan; Xiaoli Si; Liam Campion; Revital Herrmann; Julia S. Barthold
• Keywords: Dibutyl phthalate; Testicle; No-observed-adverse-effect level

Phenotype results from interactions between genetics and environment, but for most environmental chemical exposures, such are theoretical. The phenotypic response of the testis to in utero dibutyl phthalate (DBP) exposure was compared two strains Long-Evans (LE) rats, orl substrain with inherited cryptorchidism an outbred (wt) strain. wt LE rats were exposed daily gestational day (GD) 12 GD21 DBP dose levels ranging 50 200 mg/kg by oral gavage sensitive testicular end points examined at either GD19, GD21, or postnatal (PND) 21. At DBP, GD19 expression Cyp17a1, Insl3, Scarb1 significantly reduced not testis. statistically significant differential strain effects (orl more than wt) observed Star DBP. Similarly, disproportionately increased seminiferous cord diameters numbers multinucleated germ cells PND21, body weight–corrected weights lowered all rats. While frequency undescended testes after appeared increased, these data significant. These demonstrated enhanced sensitivity rat as its parent strain, a potentially important model gene-environment interaction on development male reproductive malformations.