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Title: Age- and species-dependent infiltration of macrophages into the testis of rats and mice exposed to mono-(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP).

Authors: Murphy, Caitlin J; Stermer, Angela R; Richburg, John H

Published In Biol Reprod, (2014 Jul)

Abstract: The mechanism by which noninfectious testicular inflammation results in infertility is poorly understood. Here the infiltration of CD11b+ immunoreactive testicular interstitial cells (neutrophil, macrophages, dendritic cells) in immature (Postnatal Day [PND] 21, 28, and 35) and adult (PND 56) Fischer rats is described at 12, 24, and 48 h after an oral dose of 1 g/kg mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), a well-described Sertoli cell toxicant. Increases of CD11b+ cells are evident 12 h after MEHP exposure in PND 21 and 28 rats. In PND 28 rats, CD11b+ cells remained significantly elevated at 48 h, while in PND 21 rats, it returned to control levels by 24 h. The peak number of CD11b+ cells in PND 35 rat testis is delayed until 24 h, but remains significantly elevated at 48 h. In PND 56 rats, no increase in CD11b+ cells occurs after MEHP exposure. In PND 21, 28, and 35 rats, a significant increase in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) by peritubular myoid cells occurs 12 h after MEHP. Interestingly, MEHP treatment of C57BL/6J mice did not incite an infiltration of CD11b+ cells at either PND 21 or 28. The peak level of germ cell apoptosis observed 24 h after MEHP exposure in young rats is not seen in mice at any age or in PND 56 rats. Taken together, these findings implicate MCP-1 released by peritubular myoid cells in provoking the migration of CD11b+ cells into the immature rat testis early after MEHP exposure and point to a role for CD11b+ cells in triggering germ cell apoptosis in an age- and species-dependent manner.

PubMed ID: 24876407 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Age Factors; Animals; Cell Movement/physiology; Chemokine CCL2/metabolism; Diethylhexyl Phthalate/analogs & derivatives*; Diethylhexyl Phthalate/pharmacology; Macrophages/drug effects*; Macrophages/immunology; Macrophages/metabolism; Male; Mice; Rats; Sertoli Cells/drug effects*; Sertoli Cells/immunology; Sertoli Cells/metabolism; Species Specificity; Testis/drug effects*; Testis/immunology; Testis/metabolism

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