Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) activates the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR): a novel signalling pathway sensitive to phthalates.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), a widely used plasticizer, is detected in consumer's body fluids. Contamination occurs through environmental and food chain sources. In mouse liver, DEHP activates the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) and regulates the expression of its target genes. Several in vitro investigations support the simultaneous recruitment of additional nuclear receptor pathways. We investigated, in vivo, the hepatic impact of low doses of DEHP on PPARalpha activation, and the putative activation of additional signalling pathways. Wild-type and PPARalpha-deficient mice were exposed to different doses of DEHP. Gene expression profiling delineated the role of PPARalpha and revealed a PPARalpha-independent regulation of several prototypic constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) target genes. Thus, we developed an original hepatic cell line expressing CAR to investigate its activation by DEHP. By means of a pharmacological inhibitor or CAR-targeting shRNAs, we established that CAR is required for the effect of DEHP on Cyp2b10, a recognized CAR target gene. Moreover, DEHP dose-dependently induced CYP2B6 in human primary hepatocyte cultures. This finding demonstrates that CAR also represents a transcriptional regulator sensitive to phthalates. CAR-mediated effects of DEHP provide a new rationale for most endpoints of phthalates toxicity described previously, including endocrine disruption, hepatocarcinogenesis and the metabolic syndrome.

Identification of potential mechanisms of toxicity after di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) adult exposure in the liver using a systems biology approach.

Phthalates are industrial additives widely used as plasticizers. In addition to deleterious effects on male genital development, population studies have documented correlations between phthalates exposure and impacts on reproductive tract development and on the metabolic syndrome in male adults. In this work we investigated potential mechanisms underlying the impact of DEHP on adult mouse liver in vivo. A parallel analysis of hepatic transcript and metabolic profiles from adult mice exposed to varying DEHP doses was performed. Hepatic genes modulated by DEHP are predominantly PPARalpha targets. However, the induction of prototypic cytochrome P450 genes strongly supports the activation of additional NR pathways, including Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR). Integration of transcriptomic and metabonomic profiles revealed a correlation between the impacts of DEHP on genes and metabolites related to heme synthesis and to the Rev-erbalpha pathway that senses endogenous heme level. We further confirmed the combined impact of DEHP on the hepatic expression of Alas1, a critical enzyme in heme synthesis and on the expression of Rev-erbalpha target genes involved in the cellular clock and in energy metabolism. This work shows that DEHP interferes with hepatic CAR and Rev-erbalpha pathways which are both involved in the control of metabolism. The identification of these new hepatic pathways targeted by DEHP could contribute to metabolic and endocrine disruption associated with phthalate exposure. Gene expression profiles performed on microdissected testis territories displayed a differential responsiveness to DEHP. Altogether, this suggests that impacts of DEHP on adult organs, including testis, could be documented and deserve further investigations.