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Adult male mice exposure to nonylphenol alters courtship vocalizations and mating.

ABSTRACT: The neural circuitry processing male sexual behavior is tightly regulated by testosterone and its neural metabolite estradiol. The present study evaluated the effects of adult exposure to low doses of nonylphenol (NP), a widespread environmental contaminant, on the neuroendocrine regulation of testosterone and expression of sexual behavior. Oral exposure of C57BL/6J males to NP (0.5, 5 or 50 ?g/kg/day) for 4 weeks did not affect circulating levels of testosterone or the kisspeptin system, a key regulator of the gonadotropic axis. In contrast, mice exposed to NP at 5 ?g/kg/day emitted an increased number and duration of ultrasonic vocalizations, took longer to reach ejaculation and showed increased number of mounts, intromissions and thrusts. This was associated with normal olfactory preference and locomotor activity, and increased anxiety level. Analysis of the neural circuitry that underlies sexual behavior showed changes in the number of cells expressing androgen and estrogen receptors in males exposed to NP at 5 ?g/kg/day. The neural circuitry underlying sexual behavior is thus highly sensitive to adult exposure to NP. Furthermore, almost all the observed effects were induced at 5 ?g/kg/day of NP, indicating that this endocrine disrupter triggers a non-monotonic response in the adult male mouse brain.

SUBMITTER: Capela D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5813014 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Adult male mice exposure to nonylphenol alters courtship vocalizations and mating.

Capela Daphné D Dombret Carlos C Poissenot Kevin K Poignant Manon M Malbert-Colas Aude A Franceschini Isabelle I Keller Matthieu M Mhaouty-Kodja Sakina S

Scientific reports 20180214 1

The neural circuitry processing male sexual behavior is tightly regulated by testosterone and its neural metabolite estradiol. The present study evaluated the effects of adult exposure to low doses of nonylphenol (NP), a widespread environmental contaminant, on the neuroendocrine regulation of testosterone and expression of sexual behavior. Oral exposure of C57BL/6J males to NP (0.5, 5 or 50 μg/kg/day) for 4 weeks did not affect circulating levels of testosterone or the kisspeptin system, a key ...[more]

PMID: 29445187

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Project description:BackgroundCourtship behavior plays a critical role in attracting females and reproduction success. However, the effects of exposure to a ubiquitous contaminant di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on these behaviors and, in particular, on courtship vocalizations have not been examined.ObjectiveThe effects of adult exposure to DEHP on courtship and mating behaviors and gonadotropic axis and neural mechanisms involved in DEHP-induced effects were analyzed in male mice.MethodsAdult C57BL/6J males were orally exposed to DEHP (0, 0.5, 5, and 50μg/kg/d) for 4 wk. Olfactory preference, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), partner preference and mating, as well as locomotor activity and motor coordination, were measured. The kisspeptin system and testosterone levels were analyzed. Proteomic and molecular studies were conducted on the hypothalamic preoptic nucleus, the key region involved in sexual motivation to vocalize and mate.ResultsDEHP at 50μg/kg/d reduced the emission of USVs, whereas lower doses changed the ratio of syllable categories. This was associated with diminished sexual interest of female partners toward males exposed to 5 or 50μg/kg/d and increased latency to mate, despite normal olfactory preference. The kisspeptin system and circulating testosterone levels were unaffected. In DEHP-exposed males, proteomic analysis of the preoptic nucleus identified differentially expressed proteins connected to the androgen receptor (AR). Indeed, exposure to 5 or 50μg/kg/d of DEHP induced selective AR downregulation in this nucleus and upstream chemosensory regions. The involvement of AR changes in the observed alterations was further supported by the reduced emission of courtship vocalizations in males with disrupted neural AR expression.ConclusionsThese data demonstrate the critical role of neural AR in courtship vocalizations and raises the possibility that the vulnerability of this signaling pathway to exposure to endocrine disrupters may be detrimental for courtship communication and mating in several species. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1443.

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Adult male mice exposure to nonylphenol alters courtship vocalizations and mating.

Publications

Adult male mice exposure to nonylphenol alters courtship vocalizations and mating.

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