环境污染与健康危害是备受关注的热点和难点问题。邻苯二甲酸二（2-乙基己基）酯（DEHP）作为一种常见塑化剂，被广泛应用。流行病学调查显示，女性长期暴露于DEHP环境下，易罹患不孕症。早期研究发现，DEHP可诱导卵巢颗粒细胞（GCs）凋亡，触发卵泡闭锁。但GCs凋亡是否是DEHP诱导不孕症发生的重要原因却鲜有探讨。PGE2作为一种局部激素在卵泡发育起重要作用。我们早期研究已经证实，PGE2及上游因子COX-2参与DEHP促凋亡过程，但是否为GCs凋亡发生的关键环节尚不明确。据此我们推测：DEHP可能经由COX-2/PGE2通路，诱导GCs凋亡，促进不孕症发生进程。本课题拟在细胞-动物-人群角度探讨COX-2/PGE2在DEHP致不孕症中的调控作用，明确环境水平DEHP暴露与女性不孕症相关性。本项目的开展为DEHP的雌性生殖毒性防治提供新的靶点和依据。

Environmental pollution and health hazards are always hot and tough topics. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a common plasticizer. Epidemiological studies show that women are prone to infertility, exposed to DEHP for a long time. Early studies have found that DEHP can induce apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) and trigger follicular atresia. However, it is rarely discussed whether GCs apoptosis is an important cause of DEHP inducing infertility. PGE2, as a local hormone, plays an important role in the development of follicle. Our early studies have confirmed that PGE2 and upstream factor COX-2 are involved in the pro apoptotic process of DEHP, but whether it is the key link of GCs apoptosis is not clear. Therefore, we speculate that DEHP may induce GCs apoptosis through the COX-2/PGE2 pathway and promote the progression of infertility. The aim of this study is to explore the regulatory role of COX-2/PGE2 in infertility caused by DEHP in the angle of cell-animal-population, to explicit the correlation between environmental DEHP exposure and female infertility. The development of this project provides a new target and basis for the prevention and control of female reproductive toxicity of DEHP.