Fenvalerate inhibits progesterone production through cAMP-dependent signal pathway.

Abstract

Fenvalerate is a widely used synthetic pyrethroid insecticide and is known to impede the male reproductive function. However, the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, mouse Leydig tumor cells (MLTC-1) were used to investigate the effects of fenvalerate on progesterone production. Fenvalerate treatment inhibited progesterone secretion induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), cholera toxin (CT) or forskolin and decreased cAMP levels induced by hCG, but not by CT or forskolin, which suggested a repaired site on the upstream components of G protein or G protein per se by fenvalerate in the cAMP-mediated signal pathway. Furthermore, the addition of cAMP analog, 8-Br-cAMP, could not reverse fenvalerate-suppressed progesterone synthesis, indicating that fenvalerate interfered with the downstream molecules of cAMP. In addition, fenvalerate decreased steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) mRNA and protein levels, and also profoundly inhibited the activity of P450 side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) which was consistent with the decreased expression of P450scc mRNA and protein in MLTC-1 cells. These results suggested that fenvalerate might inhibit progesterone production by attenuating cAMP generation and inhibiting StAR expression and P450scc activity.

• Authors: Jian-Hua Qu, Xia Hong, Jian-Feng Chen, Yu-Bang Wang, Hong Sun, Xiao-Lin Xu, Ling Song, Shou-Lin Wang, Xin-Ru Wang
• Journal: Toxicology letters (Toxicol Lett) Vol. 176 Issue 1 Pg. 31-9 (Jan 04 2008) ISSN: 0378-4274 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 18053657 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Chorionic Gonadotropin
• Enzyme Inhibitors
• Hydroxycholesterols
• Insecticides
• Nitriles
• Phosphoproteins
• Pyrethrins
• RNA, Messenger
• steroidogenic acute regulatory protein
• 22-hydroxycholesterol
• Colforsin
• 8-bromocyclic GMP
• Progesterone
• Pregnenolone
• Cholera Toxin
• Cyclic AMP
• Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme
• Cyclic GMP
• fenvalerate

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Cholera Toxin (pharmacology)
• Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, metabolism)
• Chorionic Gonadotropin (metabolism)
• Colforsin (pharmacology)
• Cyclic AMP (metabolism)
• Cyclic GMP (analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Enzyme Inhibitors (toxicity)
• Hydroxycholesterols (metabolism)
• Insecticides (toxicity)
• Leydig Cell Tumor (metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Mice
• Nitriles (toxicity)
• Phosphoproteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Pregnenolone (metabolism)
• Progesterone (metabolism)
• Pyrethrins (toxicity)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)