Chromium VI - Induced developmental toxicity of placenta is mediated through spatiotemporal dysregulation of cell survival and apoptotic proteins. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Environmental contamination with hexavalent chromium (CrVI) is a growing problem both in the U.S and developing countries. CrVI is a heavy-metal endocrine disruptor; women working in Cr industries exhibit an increased incidence of premature abortion and infertility. The current study was designed to understand the mechanism of CrVI toxicity on placental cell survival/death pathways. Pregnant mothers were treated with or without CrVI (50ppmK2Cr2O7) through drinking water from gestational day (GD) 9.5-14.5, and placentas were analyzed on GD 18.5. Results indicated that CrVI increased apoptosis of trophoblasts, vascular endothelium of the metrial glands and yolk sac epithelium through caspase-3 and p53-dependent pathways. CrVI increased apoptosis in labyrinth and basal zones in a caspase-3-independent manner via AIF, and through an ATM-p53-NOXA-PUMA-p27 network. CrVI downregulated cell survival proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and XIAP in the placenta. CrVI disrupts placental histoarchitecture and increases cell death by spatiotemporal modulation of apoptotic signaling.

published proceedings

  • Reprod Toxicol

altmetric score

  • 9.25

author list (cited authors)

  • Banu, S. K., Stanley, J. A., Sivakumar, K. K., Arosh, J. A., Taylor, R. J., & Burghardt, R. C.

citation count

  • 36

complete list of authors

  • Banu, Sakhila K||Stanley, Jone A||Sivakumar, Kirthiram K||Arosh, Joe A||Taylor, Robert J||Burghardt, Robert C

publication date

  • March 2017