Purpose: We aim to investigate the neurotoxicity induced by perinatal exposure of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) on the immature and mature offspring animals using a rodent model.
Methods: Pregnant rats were given intragastric administration of 500mg/kg body weight DBP daily from gestational day 6 to postnatal day 21 while control animals received the same volume of edible corn oil. Serum estradiol and testosterone levels of the offspring were evaluated. Protein levels of AROM, ER-β, BDNF and p-CREB in the hippocampus were also measured.
Results: Perinatal exposure of DBP significantly up-regulated the serum estradiol levels in both immature and mature offspring rats. DBP exposure also significantly down-regulated the testosterone levels in immature male and female rats and mature male rats but had no influence on the testosterone levels in mature female rats. DBP exposure up-regulated AROM, but down-regulated ER-β, BDNF and p-CREB expression in the hippocampus of immature rat offspring, while it had no influence on the levels of these proteins in the mature animals.
Conclusions: Perinatal exposure of DBP could induce neurotoxicity in immature offspring rats through regulation of AROM, ER-β, BDNF and p-CREB expression, while it has no influence on mature offspring animals.
Keywords: DBP; Hippocampus; Neurotoxicity; Perinatal exposure; Sex hormone.
Copyright © 2013 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.