Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Department of Animal Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Horm Behav. 2020 Jun;122:104759. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104759. Epub 2020 May 27.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals found in our environment that interrupt typical endocrine function. Some flame retardants (FRs) are EDCs as shown in their interaction with steroid and nuclear receptors. Humans are consistently exposed to flame retardants as they are used in everyday items such as plastics, clothing, toys, and electronics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers were used as the major FR until 2004, when they were replaced by organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). Previous research in rodent models utilizing a commercial flame retardant mixture containing OPFRs reported alterations in anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) for rodents perinatally exposed to OPFRs. In the present study we utilize wild-type mice maternally exposed (gestational day 7 to postnatal day 14) to either an OPFR mixture of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl), triphenyl phosphate, and tricresyl phosphate or a sesame seed oil vehicle. These mice were evaluated for anxiety-like behavior in adulthood on the open field test (OFT) and the light/dark box (LDB) as well as the EPM. Outcomes from the OFT and LDB indicate that males and females maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibit altered locomotor activity. Results of the EPM were sex-specific as we did not observe an effect in females; however, effects in males differed depending on exposure condition. Males maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibited an anxiolytic-like phenotype in contrast to their vehicle counterparts. This effect in perinatally OPFR-exposed males was not due to alterations in locomotor activity. Our research illustrates that there are sex- and exposure-dependent effects of perinatal OPFR exposure on adult locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model.
内分泌干扰化学物质（EDCs）是存在于我们环境中的化学物质，它们会干扰典型的内分泌功能。一些阻燃剂（FRs）就是 EDCs，因为它们与甾体和核受体相互作用。人类经常接触阻燃剂，因为它们被用于日常用品，如塑料、服装、玩具和电子产品。多溴二苯醚曾被用作主要的阻燃剂，直到 2004 年，它们被有机磷阻燃剂（OPFRs）取代。先前在利用含有 OPFRs 的商业阻燃剂混合物的啮齿动物模型中的研究报告称，OPFR 围产期暴露的啮齿动物在高架十字迷宫（EPM）中出现焦虑样行为改变。在本研究中，我们利用野生型小鼠进行母体暴露（妊娠第 7 天至产后第 14 天），分别用三（1,3-二氯-2-丙基）、磷酸三苯酯和磷酸三（2-氯乙基）酯的 OPFR 混合物或芝麻油载体处理。这些小鼠在成年期在开阔场测试（OFT）和明暗箱（LDB）以及 EPM 上进行焦虑样行为评估。OFT 和 LDB 的结果表明，母体暴露于 OPFR 的雄性和雌性动物表现出运动活动改变。EPM 的结果具有性别特异性，因为我们没有观察到雌性动物的影响；然而，雄性动物的影响因暴露条件而异。母体暴露于 OPFR 的雄性动物表现出类似抗焦虑的表型，与它们的载体对应物相反。这种围产期 OPFR 暴露的雄性动物的影响不是由于运动活动的改变。我们的研究表明，在小鼠模型中，围产期 OPFR 暴露对成年运动和焦虑样行为存在性别和暴露依赖性影响。
