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DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1224153
© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
In Vitro Effect of Octyl – Methoxycinnamate (OMC) on the Release of Gn-RH and Amino Acid Neurotransmitters by Hypothalamus of Adult Rats
Publication History
received 22.10.2008
first decision 22.04.2008
accepted 12.05.2009
Publication Date:
02 March 2010 (online)
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Abstract
OMC (octyl-methoxycinnamate), an endocrine disruptor having estrogenic activity, is used in sunscreen creams as UV filter. We studied its “in vitro” effects on the hypothalamic release of Gn-RH as well as on the amino acid neurotransmitter system. OMC significantly decreased Gn-RH release in normal male and female rats as well as in castrated rats with substitutive therapy. No effects were observed in castrated rats without substitutive therapy. In males OMC increases the release of GABA, decreasing the production of glutamate (GLU) while in the female decreases the excitatory amino acid aspartate (ASP) and GLU without modifications in the hypothalamic GABA release. These results suggest that OMC acting as endocrine disruptor could alter the sex hormone-neurotransmitter-Gn-RH axis relationships in adult rats.
Key words
UV filters - hypothalamic Gn-RH - amino acid neurotransmitters - OMC
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1 This work was supported by Grants from Agencia de Promoción Científica y Técnica BID 1728 PIC 2003 and the University of Buenos Aires.
Correspondence
Dr. P. Scacchi
Departamento de Fisiología
Facultad de Medicina
Universidad de Buenos Aires
Paraguay 2155,(1121)
Buenos Aires
Argentina
Phone: 054-011-5950-9500 (2147)
Email: pscacchi@fmed.uba.ar