Biomaterial Database

Toxic effects of in vitro exposure to p-tert-octylphenol on bovine oocyte maturation and developmental competence. 2003

Paola Pocar, and Robert Augustin, and Fulvio Gandolfi, and Bernd Fischer

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle/Wittenberg, D-06097 Halle (Saale), Germany. paola.pocar@medizin.uni-halle.de

Alkylphenolic compounds are a widespread family of xenoestrogens. High concentrations of these substances are present in sewage sludge that is spread on arable land and pasture as fertilizer. Because of their known endocrine system-disrupting activity, alkylphenols represent a potential risk for the reproductive health of farm animals. In this study, the impact of p-tert-octylphenol (OP) on the developmental competence of bovine oocytes was evaluated. Endocrine activity of OP was investigated for its effect on estrogen receptors alpha and beta (ERalpha and ERbeta) and progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA levels. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were exposed during in vitro maturation to serial concentrations of OP (1-0.0001 microg/ml) and were compared with vehicle-treated controls and a group of COCs treated with 17 beta-estradiol (E2). A dose-related decrease in the percentage of oocytes that completed maturation after 24 h and in oocyte fertilization competence was observed at doses of OP as low as 0.01 microg/ml. Groups treated with > or =0.001 microg/ml OP showed impaired embryo development. No adverse effects of E2 were observed. In the E2-treated COCs, ERalpha mRNA was decreased but PR mRNA was upregulated compared with controls. Treatment with 0.001 and 0.0001 microg/ml OP induced a decrease in ERalpha mRNA, but ERbeta and PR mRNA were not affected. Treatment with 0.01 microg/ml OP did not produce changes in the expression of any of the mRNAs studied. OP impairs meiotic progression and developmental competence of bovine oocytes without demonstrating clear estrogen-mimic activity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009865	Oocytes	Female germ cells derived from OOGONIA and termed OOCYTES when they enter MEIOSIS. The primary oocytes begin meiosis but are arrested at the diplotene state until OVULATION at PUBERTY to give rise to haploid secondary oocytes or ova (OVUM).	Ovocytes,Oocyte,Ovocyte
D010636	Phenols	Benzene derivatives that include one or more hydroxyl groups attached to the ring structure.
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D012098	Reproduction	The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D002417	Cattle	Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor.	Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D004622	Embryo, Mammalian	The entity of a developing mammal (MAMMALS), generally from the cleavage of a ZYGOTE to the end of embryonic differentiation of basic structures. For the human embryo, this represents the first two months of intrauterine development preceding the stages of the FETUS.	Embryonic Structures, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo,Mammalian Embryo Structures,Mammalian Embryonic Structures,Embryo Structure, Mammalian,Embryo Structures, Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Mammalian,Embryos, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo Structure,Mammalian Embryonic Structure,Mammalian Embryos,Structure, Mammalian Embryo,Structure, Mammalian Embryonic,Structures, Mammalian Embryo,Structures, Mammalian Embryonic
D005260	Female		Females
D005307	Fertilization in Vitro	An assisted reproductive technique that includes the direct handling and manipulation of oocytes and sperm to achieve fertilization in vitro.	Test-Tube Fertilization,Fertilizations in Vitro,In Vitro Fertilization,Test-Tube Babies,Babies, Test-Tube,Baby, Test-Tube,Fertilization, Test-Tube,Fertilizations, Test-Tube,In Vitro Fertilizations,Test Tube Babies,Test Tube Fertilization,Test-Tube Baby,Test-Tube Fertilizations
D005314	Embryonic and Fetal Development	Morphological and physiological development of EMBRYOS or FETUSES.	Embryo and Fetal Development,Prenatal Programming,Programming, Prenatal
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia