Gender differences in ERB; expression and pituitary cell response to DEHP perinatal treatment

PABLO A. PÉREZ; JUAN P. PETITI; PABLO A. PÉREZ, JUAN PABLO PETITI, SILVINA GUTIÉRREZ; FLORENCIA PICECH; ANA L. DE PAUL; JONATHAN TOLEDO; ALICIA I. TORRES

Congreso; Reunión Anual de las Sociedades de Biociencia, Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC); 2020

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most commonly usedphthalate, non-covalently bounded to PVC polymers, acting as endocrine disruptor by interfering with estrogen signaling. One of themost relevant targets of E2 actions is the pituitary gland, whose endocrine populations expresses receptors (ER) and is sensitive toE2 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 usedat 21 (prepubertal) and 75 (adult) postnatal (PND) days. Also, pituitary cultures from male and female rats were stimulated for 72hwith 1, 10 or 100 nM of DEHP. The ERβ+ cells were determined byflow cytometry and the lactotroph (ki67+) were quantified by doubleimmunostaining. The statistical analysis used was ANOVA Fisher(P