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The Effects of Propylparabens on the Oviductal Epithelial Lining in Female mice

Parabens, which are endocrine disrupting chemicals, are ubiquitously found in the environment and are derived from industrial-scale chemical synthesis. They are widely used in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries and are absorbed through via ingestion & dermal contact. Parabens can interfere with normal estrogen by binding to estrogen receptors alpha (ESR1) and beta (ESR2). However, data on the effects of propylparaben on the oviductal epithelial cells is limited and has yet to be thoroughly investigated by the scientific community. The oviduct is a small tube responsible for transporting gametes and embryos. It’s divided into two regions: the ampulla which is where fertilization takes place and the isthmus which is a reservoir for sperm transport. The objective of this research is to identify the morphological effects of propylparaben exposure on the adult female mouse’s epithelial cells in the oviduct and to see if oral exposure to this toxin will affect the secretory and ciliated portions of the epithelial lining in the oviducts. In this experiment, the mice were treated for a span of 10 days with the following treatments groups: Corn oil (no paraben; vehicle control), and 3 dosages of propylparaben: 20 um/kg/day, 200 um/kg/day, and 20 mg/kg/day. Mice were euthanized after 10 days of treatment prior to tissue collection and were at diestrus. The oviduct samples were stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) that were used for histological analyses to determine if there was a differentiation to cell height due to exposure and more samples were then collected, dehydrated, paraffinized, and sectioned ready to be used for Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses. After data was collected the images were compared and studied to warrant a conclusion. Propylparaben does not have an effect on the epithelial cell height in the oviduct and propylparaben altered expression of protein markers that were used during IHC in the mouse oviduct. More research is needed to determine if long term treatment with propylparabens affect the epithelial lining in the oviducts.

Author: 
Sharina Inniss
School: 
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Department: 
Animal Sciences
Research Advisor: 
Dr. Matthew Dean
Department of Research Advisor: 
Animal Sciences
Year of Publication: 
2022