Intrauterine exposure to bisphenol A promotes different effects in both neonatal and adult prostate of male and female gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Abstract

Substances that mimic endogenous hormones may alter the cell signaling that govern prostate development and predispose it to developing lesions in adult and senile life. Bisphenol A is able to mimic estrogens, and studies have demonstrated that low levels of exposure to this compound have caused alterations during prostate development. The aim of this study was to describe the prostate development in both male and female neonatal gerbils in normal conditions and under exposure to BPA during intrauterine life, and also to analyze whether the effects of intrauterine exposure to BPA remain in adulthood. Morphological, stereological, three-dimensional reconstruction, and immunohistochemical methods were employed. The results demonstrated that in 1-day-old normal gerbils, the female paraurethral glands and the male ventral lobe are morphologically similar, although its tissue components-epithelial buds (EB), periurethral mesenchyme (PeM), paraurethral mesenchyme (PaM) or ventral mesenchymal pad (VMP), and smooth muscle (SM)-have presented different immunolabeling pattern for androgen receptor (AR), and for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Moreover, we observed a differential response of male and female prostate to intrauterine BPA exposure. In 1-day-old males, the intrauterine exposure to BPA caused a decrease of AR-positive cells in the PeM and SM, and a decrease of the proliferative status in the EB. In contrast, no morphological alterations were observed in ventral prostate of adult males. In 1-day-old females, BPA exposure promoted an increase of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) positive cells in PeM and PaM, a decrease of AR-positive cells in EB and PeM, besides a reduction of cell proliferation in EB. Additionally, the adult female prostate of BPA-exposed animals presented an increase of AR- and PCNA-positive cells. These results suggest that the prostate of female gerbils were more susceptible to the intrauterine BPA effects, since they became more proliferative in adult life. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1740-1750, 2016.

Female prostate: historical, developmental, and morphological perspectives

“…As in males, the female prostatic epithelial buds arise from the UGS, invade the pm around the urethral epithelium, and elongate inside this mesenchymal tissue towards the paraurethral mesenchyme (pam), a condensed mesenchymal tissue in which the buds start to undergo branching morphogenesis. Although the understanding of the initial female prostate organogenesis is still incomplete, some recent studies of our research group have highlighted important aspects of the female prostate development (de Lima et al, ; Rodríguez et al, ) (Figures a and 2b).…”

“…Indeed, these aspects should be considered nowadays, mainly because we are more exposed to exogenous substances, such as endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs), that may disrupt and predispose the gland to the development of diseases with aging (Biancardi et al, ; Perez et al, ). A wealth of experimental analyses from our research group employing gerbils has shown that the female prostate is very sensitive to exogenous hormonal interference (Santos et al, ; Biancardi et al, , ; de Lima et al, ; Rodríguez et al, ; Perez et al, ). These studies have shown that the early exposure to exogenous substances, as specific hormones, for instance, increases the susceptibility to the development of prostatic lesions during aging in both male and female gerbils (Biancardi et al, , ; Perez et al, ).…”

“…Prior reports showed important aspects of the prostate development in female rats (Mahoney, , ), which helped to clarify the origin and localization of the embryonic prostatic tissues (epithelial and mesenchymal components) during early periods. Recent studies from our research group display three dimensional reconstructions of the gerbil female prostate in which details of the organogenesis are shown (de Lima et al, ; Rodríguez et al, ).…”

Effect of isoflurane�+�N2O inhalation and propofol�+�fentanyl anesthesia on myocardial function as assessed by cardiac troponin, caspase‑3, cyclooxygenase‑2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression

“…Fentanyl-propofol is a common intravenous anesthesia (19). However, respiratory depression of fentanyl during surgery is rather common and hyperpathia after surgery occurs frequently (19).…”

“…However, respiratory depression of fentanyl during surgery is rather common and hyperpathia after surgery occurs frequently (19). Propofol is an alkylphenolsedative-hypnotic drug and its advantages include quick effects, short hold time and fast waking (20).…”