PMID- 18821396
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20081124
LR  - 20131121
IS  - 1092-874X (Electronic)
IS  - 1091-5818 (Linking)
VI  - 27
IP  - 4
DP  - 2008 Jul-Aug
TI  - Contamination with depleted or enriched uranium differently affects 
      steroidogenesis metabolism in rat.
PG  - 323-8
LID - 10.1080/10915810802367057 [doi]
AB  - Uranium is a naturally occurring heavy metal found in the Earth's crust. It is an 
      alpha-emitter radioactive element from the actinide group that presents both 
      radiotoxicant and chemotoxicant properties. Some studies revealed that uranium 
      could affect the reproductive system. To distinguish chemical versus radiological 
      effects of uranium on the metabolism of the steroids in the testis, rats were 
      contaminated via their drinking water with depleted or enriched uranium. Animals 
      were exposed to radionuclides for 9 months at a dose of 40 mg/L (560 Bq/L for 
      depleted uranium, 1680 Bq/L for enriched uranium). Whereas depleted uranium did 
      not seem to significantly affect the production of testicular steroid hormones in 
      rats, enriched uranium significantly increased the level of circulating 
      testosterone by 2.5-fold. Enriched uranium contamination led to significant 
      increases in the mRNA levels of StAR (Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein; 
      3-fold, p = .001), cyp11a1 (cytochrome P45011a1; 2.2-fold, p < .001), cyp17a1 
      (cytochrome P45017a1; 2.5-fold, p = .014), cyp19a1 (cytochrome P45019a1; 
      2.3-fold, p = .021), and 5alpha -R1 (5alpha reductase type 1; 2.0-fold, p = .02), 
      whereas depleted uranium contamination induces no changes in the expression of 
      these genes. Moreover, expression levels of the nuclear receptors LXR (Liver X 
      Receptor) and SF-1 (Steroidogenic Factor 1), as well as the transcription factor 
      GATA-4, were modified following enriched uranium contamination. Altogether, these 
      results show for the first time a differential effect among depleted or enriched 
      uranium contamination on testicular steroidogenesis. It appears that the 
      deleterious effects of uranium are mainly due to the radiological activity of the 
      compound.
FAU - Grignard, Elise
AU  - Grignard E
AD  - Radiological Protection and Human Health Division, Radiobiology and Epidemiology 
      Department, Laboratory of Experimental Nuclear Toxicology, Institute for 
      Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France.
FAU - Gueguen, Yann
AU  - Gueguen Y
FAU - Grison, Stephane
AU  - Grison S
FAU - Lobaccaro, Jean-Marc A
AU  - Lobaccaro JM
FAU - Gourmelon, Patrick
AU  - Gourmelon P
FAU - Souidi, Maamar
AU  - Souidi M
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - United States
TA  - Int J Toxicol
JT  - International journal of toxicology
JID - 9708436
RN  - 0 (DNA Primers)
RN  - 0 (Environmental Pollutants)
RN  - 0 (Steroids)
RN  - 0 (Transcription Factors)
RN  - 4OC371KSTK (Uranium)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Base Sequence
MH  - DNA Primers
MH  - Environmental Pollutants/*toxicity
MH  - Male
MH  - Polymerase Chain Reaction
MH  - Rats
MH  - Rats, Sprague-Dawley
MH  - Steroids/*metabolism
MH  - Transcription Factors/metabolism
MH  - Uranium/*toxicity
EDAT- 2008/09/30 09:00
MHDA- 2008/12/17 09:00
CRDT- 2008/09/30 09:00
PHST- 2008/09/30 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/12/17 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2008/09/30 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 903046287 [pii]
AID - 10.1080/10915810802367057 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Int J Toxicol. 2008 Jul-Aug;27(4):323-8. doi: 10.1080/10915810802367057.