The C17.2 cell line as testing system for endocrine disruption-induced developmental neurotoxicity

• Hormone signaling plays an essential role during fetal life and is vital for brain development. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can interfere with the hormonal milieu in this critical time period, disrupting key neurodevelopmental processes. Hence, there is a need for the development of assays that evaluate developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) induced by an endocrine mode of action. Herein, we evaluated the applicability of the neural progenitor C17. 2 cell-line, as an in vitro test method to aid in the detection of endocrine disruption induced DNT. For this, C17.2 cells were exposed during 10 days of differentiation to (ant)agonists of the thyroid hormone (Thr), glucocorticoid (Gr), retinoic acid (Rar), retinoic x (Rxr), oxysterols (Lxr), estrogen (Er), androgen (Ar), and peroxisome proliferator activated delta (Ppard) receptors, as well as to the agonist of the vitamin D (Vdr) receptor. Upon exposure and differentiation, the cells were incubated with Hoechst (nuclear staining) and subsequently stained for βIII-tubulin (neuronal marker) by immunofluorescence. Automated imaging was carried out with a 10X objective lens using an ImageXpress micro xls system (Molecular Devices) and image analysis was performed with MetaXpress® software (Molecular Devices). The C17.2 cells were responsive to the Rar and Rxr agonists which decreased neurite outgrowth, branching and neuronal differentiation as well as to the Rar antagonist which increased neurite outgrowth and branching. With this approach, we have identified that the C17.2 cells are responsive to Gr, Rar, Rxr, and Pparβ/δ, hence contributing to the development of reliable and transferable test methods for hazard assessment of EDCs.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Endocrine disruptors

neurodevelopment

in vitro assay development

retinoic acid

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor

Biology with specialization in Environmental Toxicology

Biologi med inriktning mot miljötoxikologi

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)