The Toxicologist - Society of Toxicology
The Toxicologist - Society of Toxicology
The Toxicologist - Society of Toxicology
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February 2006). <strong>The</strong> rabbit is one <strong>of</strong> the species known for its immunogenic response<br />
to human vaccines and its efficient transfer <strong>of</strong> maternal antibodies to the fetuses<br />
or kits through the placenta or milk. Postnatal studies have rarely been performed<br />
in the rabbit, mainly due to the notorious practical difficulties <strong>of</strong> handling<br />
rabbit litters without provoking maternal cannibalism. If, however, these difficulties<br />
could be overcome, the rabbit would be an ideal species for the developmental toxicity<br />
testing. For vaccine studies, treatment has to start before mating in order to<br />
ensure adequate antibody titers during early gestation. At least 13 studies were conducted<br />
using optimal housing and handling conditions for the rabbit does and <strong>of</strong>fspring<br />
during the lactation period. Human contact was limited during the early<br />
phase <strong>of</strong> lactation in order to minimize interferences with nursing behavior. Litter<br />
parameters, including the number <strong>of</strong> kits born, kit survival, kit weights and developmental<br />
milestones (including fur growth, incisor eruption and eye opening) and<br />
functional tests were recorded up to weaning. <strong>The</strong> background data generated at<br />
the Testing Facility could serve as a basis for future developmental studies in this<br />
species and confirmed that the rabbit can be used as a model for postnatal developmental<br />
toxicity studies. Based on discussions with the regulatory authorities for the<br />
development <strong>of</strong> vaccines, we currently aim to evaluate 20 litters per group for each<br />
<strong>of</strong> the prenatal and postnatal phases. In order to achieve these numbers, 24 and 30<br />
females per group are used for the prenatal and postnatal phases, respectively. Blood<br />
samples can also be taken from dams, fetuses and kits to assess the immunogenic response<br />
and antibody transfer through the placenta and milk.<br />
410 TESTICULAR GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING<br />
FOLLOWING LACTATIONAL EXPOSURE TO 6-N-<br />
PROPYLTHIOURACIL (PTU), A NEONATAL<br />
GOITROGEN.<br />
M. L. Hixon 1 , J. Santos Ahmed 1 , A. DeLong 2 , C. Brown 1 , S. Duncan Smith 1 ,<br />
T. Rasoulpour 1 , C. Schorl 3 and Z. Wu 2 . 1 Department <strong>of</strong> Pathology, Brown<br />
University, Providence, RI, 2 Department <strong>of</strong> Community Health, Brown University,<br />
Providence, RI and 3 Center for Genomics and Proteomics, Brown University,<br />
Providence, RI.<br />
PKBα/Akt1 regulates germ cell proliferation and apoptosis. <strong>The</strong>refore, we hypothesized<br />
that lack <strong>of</strong> Akt1 may alter Sertoli cell proliferation <strong>of</strong> the postnatal testis following<br />
exposure to 6-N-propylthiouracil (PTU) which extends Sertoli cell proliferation<br />
resulting in larger testis size. To test this, we examined the requirement <strong>of</strong><br />
Akt1 following lactational exposure to PTU (0.01%). In adult Akt1+/+ and<br />
Akt1+/- mice, testis weight and daily sperm production were significantly increased<br />
following PTU exposure. Akt1-/- mice exposed to PTU exhibited testes weight and<br />
daily sperm production similar to those <strong>of</strong> control Akt1-/- mice. At postnatal day<br />
25 (PND25), histological analyses <strong>of</strong> PTU-exposed Akt1-/- seminiferous tubules<br />
demonstrated increased vacuolization and germ cell apoptosis relative to PTU-exposed<br />
Akt1+/+ animals. To elucidate gene changes mediating these phenotypic effects,<br />
we monitored changes in gene expression at PND25 in Akt1+/+, Akt1+/-,<br />
and Akt1-/- testes following transient hypothyroidism. Postnatal exposure significantly<br />
altered over 20,000 transcripts in Akt1-/- males relative to postnatal exposure<br />
in Akt1+/+ and Akt1+/- males. Gene ontology revealed that PTU targets proteins<br />
that make up the testicular tight junctions, including members <strong>of</strong> the claudin gene<br />
family. <strong>The</strong> transcriptional pr<strong>of</strong>ile suggests gene changes associated with formation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the blood-testis barrier and indicates that loss <strong>of</strong> Akt1 in the testis impairs the<br />
timing <strong>of</strong> testicular tight junction formation and consequently the functional integrity<br />
<strong>of</strong> the testis following toxicant insult.<br />
411 CHARACTERIZATION OF P-GLYCOPROTEIN (ABCB1)<br />
ORTHOLOGS IN THE RAT EPIDIDYMIS: UNIQUE<br />
DISTRIBUTION AND UP-REGULATION BY<br />
XENOBIOTICS.<br />
S. R. Jones and D. Cyr. Institut Armand-Frappier, INRS, Laval, QC, Canada.<br />
Sponsor: B. Hales.<br />
<strong>The</strong> epididymis and maturing sperm are susceptible to xenobiotics. <strong>The</strong> blood-epididymis<br />
barrier is necessary to attenuate the entry, and elimination <strong>of</strong> harmful substances.<br />
In addition to providing an immunological barrier, the epididymis also<br />
provides a specialized environment necessary for sperm maturation. <strong>The</strong> epididymal<br />
epithelium contains numerous specialized transporters that selectively regulate<br />
compounds present in the epithelium and lumen. abcb1a and abcb1b are rodent<br />
orthologs <strong>of</strong> human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1), a member <strong>of</strong> the ATP-binding cassette<br />
(ABC) efflux proteins capable <strong>of</strong> regulating the excretion <strong>of</strong> xenobiotics in<br />
normal tissues. <strong>The</strong> objective <strong>of</strong> this study was to characterize the previously unknown<br />
expression pr<strong>of</strong>ile, localization and inducibility <strong>of</strong> abcb1a and abcb1b in the<br />
rat epididymis. abcb1a mRNA levels were significantly higher in the cauda epididymidis<br />
when compared to initial segment, caput and corpus. abcb1b mRNA<br />
levels were similar throughout the epididymis. Immunohistochemistry using antisera<br />
against both forms <strong>of</strong> abcb1 indicated minimal immunostaining in the epithelial<br />
cells or spermatozoa in the caput epididymidis, and progressively increased in<br />
the corpus and cauda. Interestingly, the immunoreaction in spermatozoa was detected<br />
in the distal caput, corpus and cauda. This was confirmed by western blot<br />
analysis. To assess if abcb1 was inducible by xenobiotics, rat epididymal cells (RCE)<br />
were exposed to different concentrations <strong>of</strong> nonylphenol (NP) or doxorubicin<br />
(DOX). RCE cells exposed to 20 uM NP and 500 ng/ml DOX revealed a significant<br />
induction <strong>of</strong> both abcb1a and abcb1b mRNA and abcb1 total protein, suggesting<br />
that ABC efflux transporters are inducible in the epididymis. <strong>The</strong> unique<br />
expression pr<strong>of</strong>ile and induction <strong>of</strong> abcb1a and abcb1b in the epididymis suggests<br />
an important role for these proteins as a defence mechanism against xenobiotics in<br />
the epididymis. Supported by Environment Canada, CIHR and Armand-Frappier<br />
Foundation.<br />
412 ASSESSMENT OF ORGANOTYPIC EPIVAGINAL TM<br />
TISSUE MODEL TO SCREEN IRRITATION POTENTIAL<br />
OF CHEMICALS.<br />
C. Cannon, S. Ayehunie, K. LaRosa and M. Klausner. MatTek Corp, Ashland, MA.<br />
A predictive test system for assessing the vaginal irritation <strong>of</strong> chemicals and formulations<br />
will have far reaching application in industries involved in feminine care<br />
products. <strong>The</strong> vaginal mucosa is commonly exposed to chemicals or therapeutic<br />
agents that can cause irritation/inflammation and increase the susceptibility to infections<br />
such as HIV-1 and HSV-2. Hence, chemical/formulation or therapeutic<br />
agent induced vaginal irritation is a concern for industrial and academic toxicologists.<br />
Traditionally, testing has been performed using the rabbit vaginal irritation<br />
(RVI) assay. In the current study, we investigated use <strong>of</strong> the organotypic, highly differentiated<br />
EpiVaginal tissue as a non-animal alternative. EpiVaginal tissues were<br />
exposed to N=6 chemicals at 3 concentrations for 1, 3, and 6 hrs. <strong>The</strong> effects <strong>of</strong> single<br />
or repeat application on tissue viability (MTT assay), barrier disruption (measured<br />
by trans-epithelial electrical resistance, TEER, or sodium fluorescein, FL, leakage),<br />
and inflammatory cytokine release (IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-6, and IL-8) were<br />
examined. When compared to untreated controls, two irritating test articles, benzalkonium<br />
chloride and nonoxynol-9, reduced tissue viability to