Daily treatment with {alpha}-naphthoflavone enhances follicular growth and ovulation rate in the rat

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2011.01.007· OSTI ID:21535265

Barreiro, Karina A; Di Yorio, Maria P; Artillo-Guida, Romina D ^[1]; Paz, Dante A ^[2]

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1. Centro de Estudios Farmacologicos y Botanicos (CEFYBO-CONICET), I Catedra de Farmacologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, 16oP, (C1121ABG) CABA (Argentina)
2. Instituto de Fisiologia, Biologia Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE- CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. II, 4oP, (C1428EHA) CABA (Argentina)

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor and the first protein involved in a variety of physiological and toxicological processes, including those of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. AhR has been found in the ovary of many species and seems to mediate the ovarian toxicity of many environmental contaminants, which are AhR ligands. However, the role of AhR in the ovarian function is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the action of {alpha}-naphthoflavone ({alpha}NF), known to be an AhR antagonist, on both follicular growth and ovulation. Immature Sprague-Dawley rats were daily injected intraperitoneally with {alpha}NF (0.1-80 mg/kg) or vehicle for 12 days, and primed with gonadotrophins (eCG/hCG) to induce follicular growth and ovulation. Ovaries were obtained 20 h after hCG administration. By means of immunohistochemistry, we found that the numbers of primordial, primary and antral follicles were increased in rats treated with 80 mg/kg {alpha}NF and that there were no differences with other doses. Likewise, the ovarian weight and the ovulation rate, measured by both number of oocytes within oviducts and corpora lutea in ovarian sections, were increased when the rats received either 1 or 10 mg/kg daily. Although further studies are necessary to know the mechanism of action of {alpha}NF, it is possible that the different ovarian processes can be differentially responsive to the presence of different levels of {alpha}NF, and that the same or different endogenous AhR ligands can be involved in these ovarian processes in a cell type-dependent manner.

• OSTI ID: 21535265
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 252, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2011.01.007; PII: S0041-008X(11)00016-0; Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0041-008X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
3-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE
ANTHRACENE
DIMETHYLBENZANTHRACENE
DOSES
ENZYMES
HCG
LIGANDS
MICE
OVARIES
OVULATION
PYRENE
RATS
RECEPTORS
TOXICITY
TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BODY
CONDENSED AROMATICS
FEMALE GENITALS
GONADOTROPINS
GONADS
HORMONES
HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES