GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ERβ EXPRESSION AND PITUITARY CELL RESPONSE TO DEHP PERINATAL TREATMENT

PEREZ P.; TOLEDO J.; PICECH F.; PETITI J.P.; TORRES A.; DE PAUL A.; GUTIÉRREZ S.

Congreso; LXV Reunión anual SAIC; 2020

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most commonly used phthalate, non-covalently bounded to PVC polymers, acting as endocrine disruptor by interfering with estrogen signaling. One of the most relevant targets of E2 actions is the pituitary gland, whose endocrine populations expresses receptors (ER) and is sensitive to E2 variations. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect andgender differences of perinatal DEHP exposure on pituitary ERβ expression, exploring the impact on lactotroph cell growth. Female Wistar rats were exposed to DEHP (200mg/kg) or corn oil (controls) by gavage from day 0 of gestation, throughout pregnancy and lactation, until weaning. Male and female pups were used at 21 (prepubertal) and 75 (adult) postnatal (PND) days. Also, pituitarycultures from male and female rats were stimulated for 72h with 1, 10 or 100 nM of DEHP. The ERβ+ cells were determined by flow cytometry and the lactotroph (ki67+) were quantified by doubleimmunostaining. The statistical analysis used was ANOVA Fisher (P