Differential expression of peroxiredoxin 6 in fetal rat testis following in utero exposure to di(n-butyl) phthalate.

OBJECTIVES

To isolate and identify differentially expressed proteins in fetal rat testis following in utero exposure to di(nbutyl) phthalate (DBP).

METHODS

We used the technique of proteomic analysis to compare the testis protein patterns obtained by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis from fetal rats of gestation day 19.

RESULTS

We found significant differences in protein spot intensities. Subsequently several of these variant protein spots were identified by mass spectrometry. Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) was one of them. Prdx6, which expressed a higher level in DBP-treated fetal rat testes compared with normal ones, is a member of the peroxiredoxins family (Prdxs). Recently, Prdx6 had been shown to be important in protecting cells from oxidative injury. Further, immunohistochemical analyses of fetal rat testes sections were made to determine the cellular distribution of this protein, consequently a strong Prdx6 staining was found out primarily in Leydig cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study had found several differentially regulated proteins and demonstrated the differential expression of Prdx6 in fetal rat testis following in utero exposure to DBP, when compared with controls. Combining the cellular location of Prdx6 and its function in other tissues, the results of this study could provide us with a possibility to interfere the reproductive toxicity of DBP for its specific antioxidant properties in testis tissues.