Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor as a target for lycopene preventing DEHP-induced spermatogenic disorders

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used as a plasticizer to improve its flexibility and workability. Lycopene (LYC) is a natural compound and has promising preventive potentials, especially anti-reproductive toxicity, but specific underlying mechanism has yet to be fully defined. Our study investigated the effects of LYC on DEHP-induced spermatogenesis disturbance. The male ICR mice were treated with DEHP (500 mg/kg BW/day or 1000 mg/kg BW/day) and/or LYC (5 mg/kg BW/day) for 28 days. Our results indicated that LYC could relieve DEHP-induced injury of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenic cells, swelling of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the increase of mitochondria. LYC prevented an increasing of the levels of nuclear damage to DNA and deformity rate, and a decreasing of the values of sperm motility, number and density. Moreover, LYC treatment decreased DEHP-induced nuclear accumulation of AHR and ARNT, and the expression of their downstream target genes (CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1) were marked...