Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate rapidly alters both Sertoli cell vimentin filaments and germ cell apoptosis in young rat testes.

Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) is a widely studied Sertoli cell toxicant. Here we describe alterations in Sertoli cell vimentin filament distribution and the incidence of testicular germ cell apoptosis in young (28-day-old) Fischer rats that were treated with MEHP (2 microgram/kg, po) and killed 0, 3, 6, or 12 hr after exposure. A collapse in vimentin filaments was observed 3 hr after MEHP exposure without accompanying changes in the pattern of Sertoli cell tubulin or actin. A progressive increase in the perinuclear condensation of the vimentin filaments was observed from 6 to 12 hr after exposure. To evaluate the consequences of these Sertoli cell changes on germ cells, the role of apoptosis in MEHP-induced testicular toxicity was examined. DNA isolated from testis of rats 6 and 12 hr after MEHP exposure showed a marked increase in low-molecular-weight DNA resulting from internucleosomal cleavage. In addition, DNA fragmentation visualized in frozen testis cross sections by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP nick end label (TUNEL) staining demonstrated a progressive increase in germ cell apoptosis from 6 to 12 hr after MEHP exposure. However, 3 hr after MEHP exposure, the incidence of TUNEL-positive germ cells was significantly decreased compared to that seen in controls. Taken together, the early collapse in Sertoli cell vimentin filaments and the concurrent decrease in germ cell apoptosis suggests that MEHP engenders Sertoli cell dysfunction resulting in the disruption of the physiological mechanism of germ cell apoptosis.