ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of carbon disulfide (CS(2)) exposure during peri-implantation on the estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) expression in the uterus and serum level of estradiol (E(2)) in pregnant mice, and to explore the mechanism of embryotoxicity of CS(2).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Healthy female mice were exposed to a single dose of CS(2) (631.4 mg/kg) or olive oil (solvent control) on gestational day (GD)3, GD4, GD5, or GD6. At different time points after exposure, the serum E(2) levels of the pregnant mice were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression levels of ER-α in the uterus were measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the GD3, GD4, GD5, and GD6 exposure groups showed significantly decreased serum E(2) levels on day 7 of gestation (P < 0.05); the GD3 and GD5 exposure groups showed significantly decreased serum E(2) levels on day 6 of gestation (P < 0.05). The expression level of ER-α in the GD 4 exposure group was 23.6% lower than that in the control group on day 5 of gestation, and the expression level of ER-α in the GD 5 exposure group was 72.9% lower than that in the control group on day 6 of gestation (P < 0.05); the GD 3 and GD 6 exposure groups showed lower expression levels of ER-α than the control group at any time point, but no significant difference was found (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CS(2) exposure during peri-implantation can reduce the ER-α expression in the uterus and the serum level of E(2) in pregnant mice, which may be one of the mechanisms of embryotoxicity of CS(2).</p>