Male reproductive toxicity of CrVI: In-utero exposure to CrVI at the critical window of testis differentiation represses the expression of Sertoli cell tight junction proteins and hormone receptors in adult F1 progeny rats

Kathiresh M Kumar; Mariajoseph Michael Aruldhas; Sheerin L Banu; Balaji Sadasivam; Ganapathy Vengatesh; Karthik M Ganesh; Shobana Navaneethabalakrishnan; Ajith Kumar Navin; Felicia Mary Michael; Sankar Venkatachalam; Jone A Stanley; Ilangovan Ramachandran; Sakhila K Banu; Mohammad Abdulkader Akbarsha

doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.02.007

Male reproductive toxicity of CrVI: In-utero exposure to CrVI at the critical window of testis differentiation represses the expression of Sertoli cell tight junction proteins and hormone receptors in adult F₁ progeny rats

Reprod Toxicol. 2017 Apr:69:84-98. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.02.007. Epub 2017 Feb 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Endocrinology and Anatomy, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India; Department of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Robert C. Byrd Biotech Science Centre, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA.
² Department of Endocrinology and Anatomy, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India. Electronic address: aruldhasmm@gmail.com.
³ Department of Endocrinology and Anatomy, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India.
⁴ Department of Endocrinology and Anatomy, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
⁵ Department of Anatomy, Dr. ALM Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India.
⁶ Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Mail Stop: TAMU 4458, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
⁷ Department of Animal Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, India; Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 28192182
DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.02.007

Abstract

The effect of gestational exposure to CrVI (occupational/environmental pollutant and target to Sertoli cells(SC)) was tested in a rat model during the testicular differentiation from the bipotential gonad may interrupt spermatogenesis by disrupting SC tight junctions(TJ) and it's proteins and hormone receptors. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to 50/100/200ppm CrVI through drinking water during embryonic days 9-14. On Postnatal day 120, testes were subjected to ion exchange chromatographic analysis and revealed increased level of CrIII in SCs and germ cells, serum and testicular interstitial fluid(TIF). Microscopic analyses showed seminiferous tubules atrophy and disruption of SC TJ, which also recorded decreased testosterone in TIF. mRNA and Protein expression analyses attested decreased level of Fshr, Ar, occludin and claudin-11 in SCs. Immunofluorescent detection revealed weak signal of TJ proteins. Taken together, we concluded that gestational exposure to CrVI interferes with the expression of SC TJ proteins due to attenuated expression of hormone receptors.

Keywords: Androgen receptor; Claudin; FSH receptor; Male fertility; Occludin.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Chromium / blood
Chromium / toxicity*
Claudins / genetics
Claudins / metabolism
Female
Follicle Stimulating Hormone / blood
Luteinizing Hormone / blood
Male
Maternal-Fetal Exchange
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Occludin / genetics
Occludin / metabolism
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Rats, Wistar
Receptors, Androgen / genetics
Receptors, Androgen / metabolism
Receptors, FSH / genetics
Receptors, FSH / metabolism
Sperm Motility / drug effects
Testis / drug effects*
Testis / metabolism
Testis / pathology
Testis / ultrastructure
Testosterone / blood
Water Pollutants, Chemical / blood
Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity*

Substances

Claudins
Cldn11 protein, rat
Occludin
Ocln protein, rat
RNA, Messenger
Receptors, Androgen
Receptors, FSH
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Chromium
chromium hexavalent ion
Testosterone
Luteinizing Hormone
Follicle Stimulating Hormone