Gender and sex differences in phthalate-induced toxicity in the reproductive system

邻苯二甲酸酯是普遍存在的合成化学品，在无数消费品中用作增塑剂和稳定剂。 产品.人们每天都会无处不在地接触邻苯二甲酸酯，并且具有性别特异性 邻苯二甲酸酯暴露和毒性存在差异。然而，很少有研究考察了性别-和 产前暴露于邻苯二甲酸酯对后代生殖健康的性别特异性影响。的 生殖系统是复杂的，需要一个正常发育和功能的时间轴， 生殖组织（即，脑、垂体、卵巢、睾丸和子宫），关键生殖激素（即， 雌激素、雄激素、孕酮、促黄体激素和促卵泡激素），以及生殖 性行为（即，男性和女性的性兴趣、行为反应和伴侣偏好）， 这可能因性别和性别而异。因此，母研究检验了以下假设： 环境相关的邻苯二甲酸酯混合物导致雌性后代比雄性后代更早出现生育力低下 通过机制，涉及性别和性别特异性影响大脑，垂体，性腺，子宫，关键 激素途径和生殖行为。为了检验这一假设，母研究将确定： 1)产前暴露于环境相关的邻苯二甲酸酯混合物对钥匙形态的影响 生殖组织，2）产前暴露于环境相关的邻苯二甲酸酯混合物对 激素的产生和反应，以及3）产前暴露于环境的影响， 邻苯二甲酸酯混合物对生殖行为和性吸引力的影响。总的来说，父母 研究将确定产前邻苯二甲酸酯暴露导致性别特异性和性别- 后代的特定低生育力和生殖行为。更好地理解 邻苯二甲酸酯的作用可能导致开发用于治疗邻苯二甲酸酯诱导的 疾病它还可能导致识别导致性别特异性和性别特异性不良反应的因素。 生殖结果。这可能会对改善女性和男性的健康产生重大影响， 特别是因为目前不可能消除邻苯二甲酸酯暴露。

Phthalates are ubiquitous synthetic chemicals used as plasticizers and stabilizers in a myriad of consumer products. People are ubiquitously exposed to phthalates on a daily basis, and gender- and sex-specific differences exist in phthalate exposures and toxicity. However, few studies have examined the gender- and sex-specific effects of prenatal exposure to phthalates on the reproductive health of the offspring. The reproductive system is complex and requires a timeline of normal development and function of the reproductive tissues (i.e., brain, pituitary, ovary, testes, and uterus), key reproductive hormones (i.e., estrogens, androgens, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone), and reproductive sex behaviors (i.e., male and female sexual interest, behavioral responsiveness, and partner preference), which may differ by gender and sex. Therefore, the parent studies test the hypothesis that exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture causes earlier subfertility in female offspring than male offspring through mechanisms that involve gender- and sex-specific effects on the brain, pituitary, gonads, uterus, key hormone pathways, and reproductive behaviors. To test this hypothesis, the parent studies will determine: 1) the effects of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on the morphology of key reproductive tissues, 2) the effects of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on hormone production and responsiveness, and 3) the impact of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on reproductive behaviors and sexual attractiveness. Collectively, the parent studies will determine the mechanisms by which prenatal phthalate exposure causes sex-specific and gender- specific subfertility and reproductive behavior in the offspring. A better understanding of the mechanisms of action of phthalates may lead to the development of novel targets for the treatment of phthalate-induced diseases. It also may lead to the identification of factors that cause sex-specific and gender-specific adverse reproductive outcomes. This could have a major impact on improving the health of women and men, particularly because it currently is not possible to eliminate phthalate exposure.