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Su M, Zhong Y, Xiang J, Chen Y, Liu N, Zhang J. Reproductive endocrine disruption and gonadal intersex induction in male Japanese medaka chronically exposed to betamethasone at environmentally relevant levels. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131493. [PMID: 37156043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The broad utilization of betamethasone in medical treatments may pose a significant ecotoxicological risk to aquatic organisms, yet its potential reproductive toxicity remains unclear. The present study examined the impacts of environmental exposure on male reproduction using Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). After 110 days of betamethasone exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (0, 20 and 200 ng/L), LH/FSH synthesis and release in the pituitary was inhibited, and the production of sex hormones and their signaling pathways in the gonads of male medaka were greatly influenced. This synthetic glucocorticoid restrained testosterone (T) synthesis and gave rise to a significant increase in E2/T and E2/11-KT ratios. Furthermore, chronic betamethasone exposure (20 and 200 ng/L) led to the suppression of androgen receptor (AR) signaling and enhancement of estrogen receptors (ERs) signaling. An increase in hepatic vitellogenin contents was also detected, and testicular oocytes were observed in both 20 and 200 ng/L betamethasone-treated groups. It showed that 20 and 200 ng/L betamethasone could induce male feminization and even intersex, triggering abnormal spermatogenesis in medaka males. With its adverse effects on male fertility, betamethasone could potentially influence the fishery productivity and population dynamics in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoliang Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Youling Zhong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jiazhi Xiang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuru Chen
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Nanxi Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Junbin Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-Environmental Science, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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Figueiredo TM, de Barros JWF, Dos Santos Borges C, Pacheco TL, de Lima Rosa J, Anselmo-Franci JA, Kempinas WDG. Reproductive outcomes of neonatal exposure to betamethasone in male and female rats. J Appl Toxicol 2022; 43:752-763. [PMID: 36511433 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Betamethasone (BM) is the drug of choice for antenatal corticosteroid therapy for women at risk of preterm delivery because it induces fetal lung maturation and enhances survival after birth. However, our group reported evidence of fetal programming and impaired reproductive development and function in rats exposed during the critical window of genital system development. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of BM on the sexual development of rats in the period that corresponds to antenatal corticosteroid therapy in humans. Male and female rats were exposed subcutaneously to BM at 0.1 μg/g of pups' body weight or to a NaCl 0.9% solution (control) on postnatal days 1-3. It was observed that neonatal exposure to BM decreased body weight and weight gain in male and female rats during treatment. The estrous cycle was deregulated and LH level was decreased in female rats. In male rats, the sperm concentration in the caput-corpus of the epididymis was decreased, whereas the sperm transit time and sperm concentration in the cauda of the epididymis were increased. Our results demonstrated that neonatal exposure to BM impaired body growth of male and female rats, deregulated the estrous cycle of female rats, and altered sperm quality of male rats. Therefore, BM exposure from postnatal days 1 to 3 corroborated results previously observed after prenatal exposure to this drug. Despite the recognized importance of human antenatal corticosteroid therapy, the findings of this study should encourage further studies in order to minimize possible adverse postnatal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamiris Moreira Figueiredo
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Jorge Willian Franco de Barros
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Cibele Dos Santos Borges
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Tainá Louise Pacheco
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Josiane de Lima Rosa
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Janete Aparecida Anselmo-Franci
- Department of Morphology, Stomatology and Physiology, Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Wilma De Grava Kempinas
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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The Antioxidant, Anti-Apoptotic, and Proliferative Potency of Argan Oil against Betamethasone-Induced Oxidative Renal Damage in Rats. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9110352. [PMID: 33114212 PMCID: PMC7690873 DOI: 10.3390/biology9110352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of argan oil against nephrotoxic effect following overdose and long-term administration of betamethasone. The results revealed that betamethasone induced hematological changes, including reduction of red blood cells with leukocytosis, neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytopenia, and marked thrombocytopenia. Moreover, betamethasone caused significant increase of serum urea and creatinine levels; renal malondialdehyde and nitric oxide contents associated with significant decrease of reduced glutathione content. Betamethasone also caused vascular, degenerative, and inflammatory histopathological alterations in kidney tissue along with increase of Bax and caspase-3 expressions and decrease of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expressions. Conversely, the concomitant administration of argan oil (0.5, 1 mL/kg) with betamethasone ameliorated the aforementioned hematological, biochemical, pathological, and histochemical adverse effects. In conclusion, overdose and long-term administration of betamethasone could induce hematological changes and severe renal damage mediated by oxidative, apoptotic and proliferative mechanisms via increasing renal functions biomarkers and altering oxidant/antioxidant status along with pathological lesions and imbalance of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio that positively correlates with up-regulation of caspase-3 and down-regulation of PCNA in kidney tissue. However, argan oil could potentially protect against betamethasone- induced renal damage, in a dose-dependent manner, via its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and proliferative properties. Abstract The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of argan oil (AO) against nephrotoxic effects following overdose and long-term administration of betamethasone (BM). The phytochemical compositions of AO were assessed using GC/MS. Forty eight male Wister albino rats were divided into six groups and treated for 3 successive weeks. The control group was orally administrated distilled water daily, the BM group received BM (1 mg/kg, IM, day after day), AO/0.5 and AO/1 groups received AO (0.5 mL/kg, 1 mL/kg, orally, daily, respectively), BM + AO/0.5 group and BM + AO/1 group. The results revealed that BM induced hematological changes, including reduction of red blood cells with leukocytosis, neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Moreover, BM caused a significant increase of serum urea and creatinine levels, and renal malondialdehyde and nitric oxide contents with significant decrease of reduced glutathione content. BM also caused vascular, degenerative, and inflammatory histopathological alterations in kidney, along with an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase-3, and decrease of proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression. Conversely, the concomitant administration of AO (0.5, 1 mL/kg) with BM ameliorated the aforementioned hematological, biochemical, pathological, and histochemical BM adverse effects. In conclusion, AO has protective effects against BM-induced renal damage, possibly via its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and proliferative properties.
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Ruiz D, Padmanabhan V, Sargis RM. Stress, Sex, and Sugar: Glucocorticoids and Sex-Steroid Crosstalk in the Sex-Specific Misprogramming of Metabolism. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa087. [PMID: 32734132 PMCID: PMC7382384 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposures to environmental insults can misprogram development and increase metabolic disease risk in a sex-dependent manner by mechanisms that remain poorly characterized. Modifiable factors of increasing public health relevance, such as diet, psychological stress, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, can affect glucocorticoid receptor signaling during gestation and lead to sex-specific postnatal metabolic derangements. Evidence from humans and animal studies indicate that glucocorticoids crosstalk with sex steroids by several mechanisms in multiple tissues and can affect sex-steroid-dependent developmental processes. Nonetheless, glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk has not been considered in the glucocorticoid-induced misprogramming of metabolism. Herein we review what is known about the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids crosstalk with estrogen, androgen, and progestogen action. We propose that glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk is an understudied mechanism of action that requires consideration when examining the developmental misprogramming of metabolism, especially when assessing sex-specific outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruiz
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert M Sargis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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Borges CDS, Dias AFM, Silva PV, Rosa JL, Guerra MT, Silva RF, Kiguti LRA, Pupo AS, Kempinas WDG. Long-term adverse effects on reproductive function in male rats exposed prenatally to the glucocorticoid betamethasone. Toxicology 2017; 376:15-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2016.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Revised: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Fowden AL, Valenzuela OA, Vaughan OR, Jellyman JK, Forhead AJ. Glucocorticoid programming of intrauterine development. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2016; 56 Suppl:S121-32. [PMID: 27345310 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2016.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are important environmental and maturational signals during intrauterine development. Toward term, the maturational rise in fetal glucocorticoid receptor concentrations decreases fetal growth and induces differentiation of key tissues essential for neonatal survival. When cortisol levels rise earlier in gestation as a result of suboptimal conditions for fetal growth, the switch from tissue accretion to differentiation is initiated prematurely, which alters the phenotype that develops from the genotype inherited at conception. Although this improves the chances of survival should delivery occur, it also has functional consequences for the offspring long after birth. Glucocorticoids are, therefore, also programming signals that permanently alter tissue structure and function during intrauterine development to optimize offspring fitness. However, if the postnatal environmental conditions differ from those signaled in utero, the phenotypical outcome of early-life glucocorticoid receptor overexposure may become maladaptive and lead to physiological dysfunction in the adult. This review focuses on the role of GCs in developmental programming, primarily in farm species. It examines the factors influencing GC bioavailability in utero and the effects that GCs have on the development of fetal tissues and organ systems, both at term and earlier in gestation. It also discusses the windows of susceptibility to GC overexposure in early life together with the molecular mechanisms and long-term consequences of GC programming with particular emphasis on the cardiovascular, metabolic, and endocrine phenotype of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Fowden
- Centre for Trophoblast and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK.
| | - O A Valenzuela
- Centre for Trophoblast and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - O R Vaughan
- Centre for Trophoblast and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK
| | - J K Jellyman
- Centre for Trophoblast and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - A J Forhead
- Centre for Trophoblast and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
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In utero betamethasone affects 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and inhibin-α immunoexpression during testis development. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2016; 7:342-9. [PMID: 27019950 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174416000118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal glucocorticoids, commonly used in women at risk of preterm delivery, can predispose the newborn to disease in later life. Since male reproductive function is likely to reflect testis development during fetal life, we studied the effects of prenatal glucocorticoids on two key intra-testicular factors that play roles in cellular proliferation and differentiation, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and inhibin-α. Pregnant sheep (n=42) were treated with betamethasone (0.5 mg/kg) or saline (control) at 104, 111 and 118 days of gestation (DG). Testicular tissue was sampled from fetuses at 121 and 132DG, and from lambs at 45 and 90 postnatal days (PD). Within the betamethasone treated group, 3β-HSD immunostaining area was greater at 121DG than at 90PD (P=0.04), but the intensity of immunostaining was higher at 90PD than at 121DG (P=0.04), 132DG (P=0.04) and 45PD (P=0.03). Control animals showed no changes in 3β-HSD area or intensity of immunostaining. No significant differences were observed between treated and control animals in immunostaining area, but immunostaining was more intense in the treated group than in the control group at 90PD (P=0.03). For inhibin-α, the proportion of immunostaining area declined in treated offspring from 121DG to 45PD, in contrast to control values, but recovered fully by 90PD, concomitantly with the onset of spermatogenesis. In conclusion, prenatal betamethasone increased the postnatal testicular expression of inhibin-α but reduced the expression of 3β-HSD. These effects could compromise androgen-mediated testicular development and therefore adult capacity for spermatogenesis.
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