Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Are bisphenol A (BPA) and BPA analogs (BPA-A) safe for male human reproductive function? The endocrine function of human testes explants [assessed by measuring testosterone and insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3)] was impacted by exposure of the human adult testis explants to BPA/BPA-A. The few epidemiologic studies performed suggest that bisphenols have potential endocrine disruptive properties, but they did not identify clear and direct patterns of endocrine disruption. Adult human testis explants in culture were exposed to BPA and the analogs bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol B (BPB) and bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) at 10(-9)-10(-5) M for 24 or 48 h. Human adult testes were obtained from prostate cancer patients who had no hormone therapy, or from multiorgan donors. After ex vivo exposure to the investigated bisphenols, the measured outcomes were related to histopathology (gross morphology and germ cell viability determined by anti-caspase three immunohistochemistry), and the levels of testosterone, INSL3 and inhibin B were measured using immunoassays. The levels of mRNA encoding key enzymes of bisphenol biotransformation were investigated by quantitative PCR: UGT2B15 UDP (glucuronosyltransferase two family, polypeptide B15), GUSB (glucuronidase beta), SULT1A1 and 3 (sulfotransferase family 1 A member 1 and 3) and STS (steroid sulfatase). A significant dose-dependent inhibition was found between testosterone levels measured in the culture medium and concentrations of BPA (P = 0.00778 at 24 h and P = 0.0291 at 48 h), BPE (P = 0.039) and BPF (P = 0.00663). The observed BPA and BPA-A-induced inhibition of testosterone production varied according to duration of exposure and BPA/BPA-A concentrations. BPA (10(-9) M; P < 0.05), BPB (10(-9) M; P < 0.05), BPS (10(-9) and 10(-8) M; P < 0.05) and BADGE (10(-5) M; P < 0.05) increased Leydig cell INSL3 production. By contrast, BPE dose dependently inhibited INSL3 (P = 0.0372). Conversely, Sertoli cell function (inhibin B) and germ cell viability were not significantly affected by either bisphenols. N/A. Environmental compounds cannot be deliberately administered to men, justifying the use of an ex vivo approach. A relatively low number of testes samples were available for analysis (n = 3, except for testosterone secretion with n = 5). The active concentrations of BPA and BPA-A used in the study were higher than those found in human biological fluids. Under our experimental conditions, direct exposure to BPA or BPA-A can result in endocrine disturbance in the adult human testis.
ISSN: 0268-1161

hal-01578582
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01578582
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01578582/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01578582/file/Parallel%20assessment%20of%20the%20effects%20of%20bisphenol%20A_accepted.pdf
DOI : 10.1093/humrep/dex093

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Phthalic acid esters are widely used in the manufacture of plastics. Numerous studies have shown that these phthalates impair testicular testosterone production in the rat. However, the scarce and contradictory data concerning humans have cast doubt over whether these compounds are also anti-androgenic in man. We therefore investigated the direct effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) on organo-cultured adult human testis and a human cell line. METHODS: Adult human testis explants or NCI-H295R adrenocortical human cells were cultured with DEHP or MEHP. The effects of ketoconazole, used as a reference molecule, were also assessed. RESULTS: In both models, DEHP and MEHP significantly inhibited testosterone production. The effects of both phthalates appeared to be specific for steroidogenesis, as INSL3 production by Leydig cells was not altered. Furthermore, the phthalates of interest had no effect on inhibin B production by Sertoli cells or on germ cell apoptosis. As only a small fraction of the phthalates added was found in the testis explants, and as these compounds were found to be metabolized, we estimate that the anti-androgenic effects observed occurred at concentrations of phthalates that are of the same order of magnitude as exposures reported in the literature for men. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first evidence that DEHP and MEHP can inhibit testosterone production in the adult human testis. This is consistent with recent epidemiological findings of an inverse correlation between exposure to MEHP and testosterone concentrations.
ISSN: 0268-1161

hal-00876965
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00876965
DOI : 10.1093/humrep/des069
PUBMED : 22402212

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Few studies have been undertaken to assess the possible effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on the reproductive hormone balance in animals or humans with often contradictory results. We investigated possible direct endocrine disruption by BPA of the fetal testes of 2 rat strains (14.5-17.5 days post-coitum) and humans (8-12 gestational weeks) and under different culture conditions. BPA concentrations of 10-8M and 10-5M for 72h reduced testosterone production by the Sprague-Dawley fetal rat testes, while only 10-5M suppressed it in the Wistar strain. The suppressive effects at 10-5M were seen as early as 24h and 48h in both strains. BPA at 10-7-10-5M for 72h suppressed the levels of fetal rat Leydig cell insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3). BPA exposure at 10-8M, 10-7M, and 10-5M for 72h inhibited testosterone production in fetal human testes. For the lowest doses, the effects observed occurred only when no gonadotrophin was added to the culture media and were associated with a poorly preserved testicular morphology. We concluded that (i) BPA can display anti-androgenic effects both in rat and human fetal testes; (ii) it is essential to ascertain that the divergent effects of endocrine disruptors between species in vitro do not result from the culture conditions used, and/or the rodent strain selected; (iii) the optimization of each in vitro assay for a given species should be a major objective rather than the search of an hypothetical trans-species consensual model-system, as the organization of the testis is intrinsically different between mammalian species; (iv) due to the uncertainty existing on the internal exposure of the human fetal testis to BPA, and the insufficient number of epidemiological studies on the endocrine disruptive effects of BPA, caution should be taken in the extrapolation of our present results to the human reproductive health after fetal exposure to BPA.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01121759
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01121759
PUBMED : 25706302
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0117226

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
More than half the pregnant women in the Western world report taking mild analgesics. These pharmaceutical compounds have been associated with congenital cryptorchidism in humans, the best-known risk factor for low semen quality and testicular germ cell cancer. Furthermore, some of these mild analgesics exert potent anti-androgenic effects in the male rat and several endocrine-disrupting compounds, known to alter masculinization, have also been shown to be potent inhibitors of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis similar to mild analgesics. Using a 3-day ex vivo organotypic model system based on gestational day 14.5 rat testes, we herein show that testosterone production was inhibited by paracetamol, at doses of 0.1 μm to 100 μm. Similar results were obtained for aspirin (1-100 μm) and indomethacin (10 μm). The production of the other Leydig cell hormone, Insl3, was not disrupted by exposure to paracetamol. Investigations of the gross anatomy of the testis as well as Leydig cells number and rate of gonocyte apoptosis after the 3 days of ex vivo differentiation showed no significant effect of the analgesics tested compared with controls. These data indicate therefore that mild analgesics specifically inhibit testosterone production in rat foetal testes in vitro and that these compounds had no effect on gonocyte survival. Parallel determinations of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) production indicated that the effects of paracetamol and aspirin on PGD2 and testosterone were not connected, whereas the effects of indomethacin were correlated. We conclude that mild analgesics exert direct and specific anti-androgenic effects in rat foetal testis in our experimental setup and that the mechanism of action is probably uncoupled from the inhibition of PG synthesis.
ISSN: 0105-6263

hal-00876956
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00876956
DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2012.01282.x
PUBMED : 22612476

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
STUDY QUESTION: Do mild analgesics affect the endocrine system of the human adult testis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Mild analgesics induce multiple endocrine disturbances in the human adult testis in vitro. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Mild analgesics have recently been incriminated as potential endocrine disruptors. Studies of the effects of these widely used molecules on the androgenic status of men are limited and somewhat contradictory. This prompted us to investigate whether these compounds could alter the adult human testicular function. We therefore assessed in parallel the effects of paracetamol, aspirin and indomethacin on organo-cultured adult human testis and on the NCI-H295R steroid-producing human cell line. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Adult human testis explants or NCI-H295R adrenocortical human cells were cultured with 10(-4) or 10(-5) M paracetamol, aspirin or indomethacin for 24-48 h. The effect of 10(-5) M ketoconazole, used as an anti-androgenic reference molecule, was also assessed. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Testes were obtained from prostate cancer patients, who had not received any hormone therapy. The protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of Rennes, France and informed consent was given by the donors. Only testes displaying spermatogenesis, as assessed by transillumination, were used in this study. Hormone levels in the culture media were determined by radioimmunoassay (testosterone, insulin-like factor 3), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (inhibin B) or Enzyme Immunosorbent Assay [prostaglandin (PG) D2, and PGE2]. Tissues were observed and cells counted using classical immunohistochemical methods. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The three mild analgesics caused multiple endocrine disturbances in the adult human testis. This was particularly apparent in the interstitial compartment. Effective doses were in the same range as those measured in blood plasma following standard analgesic treatment. The production of testosterone and insulin-like factor 3 by Leydig cells was altered by exposure to all these drugs. Inhibin B production by Sertoli cells was marginally affected by aspirin only. Our experiments also revealed that mild analgesics display direct anti-PG activity, which varied depending on the drug used, the dose and the duration of exposure. Nevertheless, associations between the alteration of the PG and testosterone profiles were not systematically observed, suggesting that a combination of mechanisms of endocrine disruption is at play. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Our studies were performed in vitro. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: We provide the first evidence that direct exposure to mild analgesics can result in multiple endocrine disturbances in the human adult testis. Caution, concerning the consumption of mild analgesics by men, should be strengthened, particularly in high-risk population subgroups such as elite athletes.
ISSN: 0268-1161

inserm-00866016
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00866016
PUBMED : 23670170
DOI : 10.1093/humrep/det112

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Humans are exposed to a large number of contaminants, many of which may have similar health effects. This paper presents a framework for identifying pollutants to be included in a cumulative risk assessment approach. To account for the possibility of simultaneous exposure to chemicals with common toxic modes of action, the first step of the traditional risk assessment process, i.e. hazard identification, is structured in three sub-steps: (1a) Identification of pollutants people are exposed to, (1b) identification of effects and mechanisms of action of these pollutants, (1c) grouping of pollutants according to similarity of their mechanism of action and health effects. Based on this exposure-based grouping we can derive "multi-pollutant" toxicity reference values, in the "dose-response assessment" step. The approach proposed in this work is original in that it is based on real exposures instead of a limited number of pollutants from a unique chemical family, as traditionally performed. This framework is illustrated by the case study of semi-volatile organic compounds in French dwellings, providing insights into practical considerations regarding the accuracy of the available toxicological information. This case study illustrates the value of the exposure-based approach as opposed to the traditional cumulative framework, in which chemicals with similar health effects were not always included in the same chemical class.
ISSN: 0013-9351

hal-00982315
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00982315
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00982315/document
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00982315/file/An_exposure-based_framework_for_grouping_pollutants_accepted.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.envres.2014.01.007

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Among pregnant women ibuprofen is one of the most frequently used pharmaceutical compounds with up to 28% reporting use. Regardless of this, it remains unknown whether ibuprofen could act as an endocrine disruptor as reported for fellow analgesics paracetamol and aspirin. To investigate this, we exposed human fetal testes (7-17 gestational weeks (GW)) to ibuprofen using ex vivo culture and xenograft systems. Ibuprofen suppressed testosterone and Leydig cell hormone INSL3 during culture of 8-9 GW fetal testes with concomitant reduction in expression of the steroidogenic enzymes CYP11A1, CYP17A1 and HSD17B3, and of INSL3. Testosterone was not suppressed in testes from fetuses younger than 8 GW, older than 10-12 GW, or in second trimester xenografted testes (14-17 GW). Ex vivo, ibuprofen also affected Sertoli cell by suppressing AMH production and mRNA expression of AMH, SOX9, DHH, and COL2A1. While PGE2 production was suppressed by ibuprofen, PGD2 production was not. Germ cell transcripts POU5F1, TFAP2C, LIN28A, ALPP and KIT were also reduced by ibuprofen. We conclude that, at concentrations relevant to human exposure and within a particular narrow â €' early window' of sensitivity within first trimester, ibuprofen causes direct endocrine disturbances in the human fetal testis and alteration of the germ cell biology. © The Author(s) 2017.
ISSN: 2045-2322

hal-01517095
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01517095
DOI : 10.1038/srep44184
PUBMED : 28281692

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
The capacity of testicular somatic cells to promote and sustain germ cell differentiation is largely regulated by sexual steroids and notably androgens. In fish species the importance of androgens is emphasized by their ability to induce sex reversal of the developing fries and to trigger spermatogenesis. Here we studied the influence of androgens on testicular gene expression in trout testis using microarrays. Following treatment of immature males with physiological doses of testosterone or 11-ketotestosterone, 418 genes that exhibit changes in expression were identified. Interestingly, the activity of testosterone appeared stronger than that of 11-ketotestosterone. Expression profiles of responsive genes throughout testis development and in isolated germ cells confirmed androgens to mainly affect gene expression in somatic cells. Furthermore, specific clusters of genes that exhibit regulation coincidently with changes in the natural circulating levels of androgens during the reproductive cycle were highlighted, reinforcing the physiological significance of these data. Among somatic genes, a phylogenetic footprinting study identified putative androgen response elements within the proximal promoter regions of 42 potential direct androgen target genes. Finally, androgens were also found to alter the germ line towards meiotic expression profiles, supporting the hypothesis of a role for the somatic responsive genes in driving germ cell fate. This study significantly increases our understanding of molecular pathways regulated by androgens in vertebrates. The highly cyclic testicular development in trout together with functions associated with regulated genes reveal potential mechanisms for androgen actions in tubule formation, steroid production, germ cell development and sperm secretion.
ISSN: 1932-6203

inserm-00825763
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00825763
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00825763/document
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00825763/file/Rolland_et_al.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0053302

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Endocrine Society
Résumé : International audience
: Context:Masculinization depends on the fetal testis. Exposure of the human fetus during pregnancy to paracetamol or/and to other mild-analgesics is associated with an increased risk of cryptorchidism.Objective:We aimed at determining whether mild analgesics disrupted the morphology and endocrine function of the human testis.Design:We used an in vitro system based on the culture of human fetal testes exposed or not to paracetamol, its metabolite AM404, aspirin, indomethacin, ketoconazole at 10(-4) M to 10(-7) M.Setting:The study was conducted at the University of Rennes I.Patients/Participants:Human fetal testes were from pregnant women following induced abortion, between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation (GW).Main Outcome Measures:Testosterone (radioimmunoassay: RIA), Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH; ELISA), insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3; RIA), prostaglandin D2 and E2 (PGD2 and PGE2, respectively; ELISA), were assayed in the media. Testicular cells were counted using histology and image analysis. The possible nuclear receptor-mediated activities of the analgesics were investigated using reporter cell lines expressing estrogen (ERs), androgen (AR) and peroxysome proliferator-activated γ ( PPARγ) receptors.Results:Indomethacin and aspirin stimulated testosterone production, particularly by the younger testes (8-9 GW vs 10-12 GW). Paracetamol, AM404 and ketoconazole decreased INSL3 levels. Aspirin stimulated, whereas ketoconazole inhibited AMH production. PGE2 levels were inhibited by paracetamol, and aspirin in the 7-12 GW testes, and by indomethacin but only in 7-9.86 GW old testes. The inhibitory trends seen for PGD2 were not statistically significant.Conclusions:Analgesics at concentrations relevant to human exposure cause endocrine disturbances in the fetal testis. We suggest that the fetal human testis displays slight critical age windows for sensitivity to direct exposure to aspirin, indomethacin and paracetamol. The analgesic-induced inhibition of INSL3 may be the mechanism by which analgesics increase the risk of cryptorchidism. Greater caution is required concerning consumption of analgesics during pregnancy.
ISSN: 0021-972X

inserm-00876125
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00876125
DOI : 10.1210/jc.2013-2531
PUBMED : 24030937

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD BioMed Central
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Environmental factors such as pesticides can cause phenotypic changes in various organisms, including mammals. We studied the effects of the widely used herbicide atrazine (ATZ) on meiosis, a key step of gametogenesis, in male mice. METHODS: Gene expression pattern was analysed by Gene-Chip array. Genome-wide mapping of H3K4me3 marks distribution was done by ChIP-sequencing of testis tissue using Illumina technologies. RT-qPCR was used to validate differentially expressed genes or differential peaks. RESULTS: We demonstrate that exposure to ATZ reduces testosterone levels and the number of spermatozoa in the epididymis and delays meiosis. Using Gene-Chip and ChIP-Seq analysis of H3K4me3 marks, we found that a broad range of cellular functions, including GTPase activity, mitochondrial function and steroid-hormone metabolism, are affected by ATZ. Furthermore, treated mice display enriched histone H3K4me3 marks in regions of strong recombination (double-strand break sites), within very large genes and reduced marks in the pseudoautosomal region of X chromosome. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that atrazine exposure interferes with normal meiosis, which affects spermatozoa production
ISSN: 1471-2164

hal-01225493
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01225493
DOI : 10.1186/s12864-015-2095-y
PUBMED : 26518232

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
Cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom; aromatase) is a microsomal enzyme involved in the production of endogeneous sex steroids by converting testosterone into oestradiol. Aromatase is the product of the cyp19a1 gene and plays a crucial role in the sexual differentiation of the brain and in the regulation of reproductive functions. In the brain of mammals and birds, expression of cyp19a1 has been demonstrated in neuronal populations of the telencephalon and diencephalon. By contrast, a wealth of evidence established that, in teleost fishes, aromatase expression in the brain is restricted to radial glial cells. The present study investigated the precise neuroanatomical distribution of cyp19a1 mRNA during brain development in Xenopus laevis (late embryonic to juvenile stages). For this purpose, we used in situ hybridisation alone or combined with the detection of a proliferative (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), glial (brain lipid binding protein, Vimentin) or neuronal (acetylated tubulin; HuC/D; NeuroβTubulin) markers. We provide evidence that cyp19a1 expression in the brain is initiated from the very early larval stage and remains strongly detected until the juvenile and adult stages. At all stages analysed, we found the highest expression of cyp19a1 in the preoptic area and the hypothalamus compared to the rest of the brain. In these two brain regions, cyp19a1-positive cells were never detected in the ventricular layers. Indeed, no co-labelling could be observed with radial glial (brain lipid binding protein, Vimentin) or dividing progenitors (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) markers. By contrast, cyp19a1-positive cells perfectly matched with the distribution of post-mitotic neurones as shown by the use of specific markers (HuC/D, acetylated tubulin and NeuroβTubulin). These data suggest that, similar to that found in other tetrapods, aromatase in the brain of amphibians is found in post-mitotic neurones and not in radial glia as reported in teleosts.
ISSN: 0953-8194

hal-00994513
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00994513
DOI : 10.1111/jne.12142
PUBMED : 24612124

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Numerous chemicals are capable of disrupting androgen production, but the possibility that they might act together to produce effects greater than those of the most effective component in the mixture has not been studied directly in human tissues. Suppression of androgen synthesis in fetal life has been associated with testis maldescent, malformations of the genitalia at birth, and poor semen quality later in life. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to investigate whether chemicals can act together to disrupt androgen production in human fetal testis explants and to evaluate the importance of mixture effects when characterizing the hazard of individual chemicals. METHODS: We used an organotypic culture system of human fetal testes explants called FEtal Gonad Assay (FEGA) with tissue obtained at 10 and 12 gestational wk (GW 10-12), to screen 27 chemicals individually for their possible anti-androgenic effect. Based on the results of the screen, we selected 11 compounds and tested them as mixtures. RESULTS: We evaluated mixtures composed of four and eight antiandrogens that contained the pharmaceuticals ketoconazole and theophylline and several previously untested chemicals, such as the pesticides imazalil and propiconazole. Mixtures of antiandrogens can suppress testosterone synthesis in human fetal testicular explants to an extent greater than that seen with individual chemicals. This revealed itself as a shift towards lower doses in the dose-response curves of individual antiandrogens that became more pronounced as the number of components increased from four to eight. CONCLUSIONS: Our results with the FEGA provide the foundations of a predictive human mixture risk assessment approach for anti-androgenic exposures in fetal life. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1014.
Environmental Health Perspectives

hal-01579609
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01579609
DOI : 10.1289/EHP1014
PUBMED : 28796631