Transcriptomic and proteomic characteristics of the di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced sperm dna damage mouse model

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most common organic pollutants and is added to various plastic products as a plasticizer. DEHP oxidative metabolite content in the human body is associated with DNA damage in sperm and decreased testosterone levels in blood. In this study, a DEHP-induced sperm DNA damage mouse model was replicated and improved, and the transcriptomic and proteomic characteristics of the model were observed. Male mice in the two groups were exposed to DEHP 1 g/kg/d or the same amount of normal saline for 60 days, and the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was detected by a sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The mRNA and protein expression profiles of the testis were detected by RNA-seq and data-independent acquisition (DIA). The sperm DFI of the DEHP group was significantly increased. Compared with the control group, 111 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 2147 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), such as Lamb2, Ahnak, Tkt, Dnah8 and Tbl2, were found in the DEHP group. These genes were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, pathways in cancer and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Our results showed that DEHP 1 g/kg/d can induce sperm DNA damage in a male mouse model after 60 days of intragastric administration. The reproductive toxicity of DEHP may be related to metabolic pathways in cancer and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.