Cypermethrin exposure during puberty disrupts testosterone synthesis via downregulating StAR in mouse testes

Cypermethrin is a widely used synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. Previous studies showed that cypermethrin significantly decreased the fertility and reduced the number of implantation sites and viable fetuses in females impregnated by males exposed to cypermethrin. As yet, little is known about the mechanism of cypermethrin-induced reproductive toxicity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of cypermethrin exposure during puberty on steroidogenesis in mice. Young male mice were administered with cypermethrin (25 mg/kg) by gavage daily from postnatal day (PND) 35 to PND70. Results showed that the level of serum and testicular testosterone (T) was markedly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Additional experiment showed that cypermethrin exposure during puberty markedly downregulated mRNA level of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in testes. Correspondingly, protein level of testicular StAR was significantly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Cypermethrin exposure during puberty did not affect the number of Leydig cells in testes. Although cypermethrin exposure during puberty did not affect the weight of testes and epididymides, the number of sperm in the cauda epididymides was significantly decreased in cypermethrin-treated mice. Taken together, these results indicate that cypermethrin exposure during puberty significantly disrupts T synthesis via downregulating the expression of testicular StAR. The decreased T synthesis might be associated with cypermethrin-induced impairment in spermatogenesis in mice.