| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Submitted on June 6, 2005
Accepted on July 12, 2005
Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Centre for Reproductive Biology, The University of Edinburgh Academic Centre, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA 5005 Adelaide, Australia; GERM-INSERM U625, Campus de Beaulieu, Université de Rennes 1, 35042 Rennes Cedex, Bretagne, France; Institute for Immunology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistra
e 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Andrology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistra
e 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: r.sharpe{at}hrsu.mrc.ac.uk.
Cryptorchidism is a common reproductive abnormality, possibly resulting from abnormal hormone production/action by the fetal testis. Insulin-like factor 3 (Insl3) is thought to be involved in gubernaculum development and transabdominal testicular descent, but its importance is unclear, due partly to lack of suitable Insl3 antibodies. We have generated (by genetic immunization) and validated a novel antirat Insl3 antibody, which we used to characterize immunoexpression of Insl3 in rat Leydig cells (LC) from fetal life until adulthood, and its relationship to cryptorchidism. Immunoexpression was strong on embryonic day 17.5 (E17.5) and E19.5, and from 35 days of age onwards, but weak from E21.5 until puberty. Since in utero exposure to di (n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) induces cryptorchidism and suppresses Insl3 gene expression, we investigated Insl3 protein expression in fetal and adult rats exposed to 500 mg/kg/day DBP from E13.5-E21.5. Expression on E17.5 and E19.5 decreased dramatically following DBP exposure, but there was no consistent correlation between this suppression and abnormal testis position. We also compared expression of Insl3 and P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) in fetal testes from rats exposed in utero to DBP or to flutamide (50 mg/kg/day). DBP treatment suppressed expression of both P450scc and Insl3 at E19.5, but flutamide exposure had no effect on either protein, demonstrating that Insl3 expression in fetal rat LC is not androgen-regulated. In adult rats, Insl3 expression was suppressed in 80% of cryptorchid and 50% of scrotal testes from rats exposed to DBP, suggesting that prenatal DBP exposure also leads to maldevelopment/malfunction of the adult LC population in some animals.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
E. Lague and J. J. Tremblay Antagonistic Effects of Testosterone and the Endocrine Disruptor Mono-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate on INSL3 Transcription in Leydig Cells Endocrinology, September 1, 2008; 149(9): 4688 - 4694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Lin, R.-S. Ge, G.-R. Chen, G.-X. Hu, L. Dong, Q.-Q. Lian, D. O. Hardy, C. M. Sottas, X.-K. Li, and M. P. Hardy Involvement of testicular growth factors in fetal Leydig cell aggregation after exposure to phthalate in utero PNAS, May 20, 2008; 105(20): 7218 - 7222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. S. Barthold, S. M. Mccahan, A. V. Singh, T. B. Knudsen, X. Si, L. Campion, and R. E. Akins Altered Expression of Muscle- and Cytoskeleton-Related Genes in a Rat Strain With Inherited Cryptorchidism J Androl, May 1, 2008; 29(3): 352 - 366. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. Anand-Ivell, R. Ivell, D. Driscoll, and J. Manson Insulin-like factor 3 levels in amniotic fluid of human male fetuses Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2008; 23(5): 1180 - 1186. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. E Bullesbach, F. R Boockfor, G. Fullbright, and C. Schwabe Cryptorchidism induced in normal rats by the relaxin-like factor inhibitor Reproduction, March 1, 2008; 135(3): 351 - 355. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. J Johnson, J. B Hensley, M. D Kelso, D. G Wallace, and K. W Gaido Mapping Gene Expression Changes in the Fetal Rat Testis Following Acute Dibutyl Phthalate Exposure Defines a Complex Temporal Cascade of Responding Cell Types Biol Reprod, December 1, 2007; 77(6): 978 - 989. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. R. Cederroth, O. Schaad, P. Descombes, P. Chambon, J.-D. Vassalli, and S. Nef Estrogen Receptor {alpha} Is a Major Contributor to Estrogen-Mediated Fetal Testis Dysgenesis and Cryptorchidism Endocrinology, November 1, 2007; 148(11): 5507 - 5519. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Feng, N. V Bogatcheva, A. Truong, B. Korchin, C. E Bishop, T. Klonisch, I. U Agoulnik, and A. I Agoulnik Developmental Expression and Gene Regulation of Insulin-like 3 Receptor RXFP2 in Mouse Male Reproductive Organs Biol Reprod, October 1, 2007; 77(4): 671 - 680. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. L. Howdeshell, J. Furr, C. R. Lambright, C. V. Rider, V. S. Wilson, and L. E. Gray Jr Cumulative Effects of Dibutyl Phthalate and Diethylhexyl Phthalate on Male Rat Reproductive Tract Development: Altered Fetal Steroid Hormones and Genes Toxicol. Sci., September 1, 2007; 99(1): 190 - 202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. M. Scott, G. R. Hutchison, I. K. Mahood, N. Hallmark, M. Welsh, K. De Gendt, G. Verhoeven, P. O'Shaughnessy, and R. M. Sharpe Role of Androgens in Fetal Testis Development and Dysgenesis Endocrinology, May 1, 2007; 148(5): 2027 - 2036. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S M L C Mendis-Handagama, H B S Ariyaratne, L Mrkonjich, and R Ivell Expression of insulin-like peptide 3 in the postnatal rat Leydig cell lineage: timing and effects of triiodothyronine-treatment Reproduction, February 1, 2007; 133(2): 479 - 485. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Ferrara, N. Hallmark, H. Scott, R. Brown, C. McKinnell, I. K. Mahood, and R. M. Sharpe Acute and Long-Term Effects of in Utero Exposure of Rats to Di(n-Butyl) Phthalate on Testicular Germ Cell Development and Proliferation Endocrinology, November 1, 2006; 147(11): 5352 - 5362. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Ferlin, A. Garolla, F. Rigon, L. Rasi Caldogno, A. Lenzi, and C. Foresta Changes in Serum Insulin-Like Factor 3 during Normal Male Puberty J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2006; 91(9): 3426 - 3431. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Ferlin, N.V. Bogatcheva, L. Gianesello, A. Pepe, C. Vinanzi, A.I. Agoulnik, and C. Foresta Insulin-like factor 3 gene mutations in testicular dysgenesis syndrome: clinical and functional characterization Mol. Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2006; 12(6): 401 - 406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. J.K. Anand-Ivell, V. Relan, M. Balvers, I. Coiffec-Dorval, M. Fritsch, R. A.D. Bathgate, and R. Ivell Expression of the Insulin-Like Peptide 3 (INSL3) Hormone-Receptor (LGR8) System in the Testis Biol Reprod, May 1, 2006; 74(5): 945 - 953. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. M. David Proposed Mode of Action for In Utero Effects of Some Phthalate Esters on the Developing Male Reproductive Tract Toxicol Pathol, April 1, 2006; 34(3): 209 - 219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |