Maternal Disononyl Phthalate Exposure Activates Allergic Airway Inflammation via Stimulatingthe Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt Pathway in Rat Pups

Key words: 
• Allergic airway inflammation /
• Asthma /
• DINP /
• Maternal exposure /
• PI3K/Akt

Abstract: ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectof diisononyl phthalate (DINP) exposure during gestation and lacta-tion on allergic response in pups and to explore the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway on it. MethodsFemale Wistar rats were treated with DINP at different dosages (0, 5, 50,and 500 mg/kg of body weight per day). The pups were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin (OVA). The airway response was assessed; the airway histological studies were performed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; and the relative cytokines in phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot analysis. ResultsThere was no significant difference in DINP’s effect on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) between male pups and female pups. In the 50 mg/(kg·d) DINP-treated group, airway response to OVA significantly increased and pups showed dramatically enhanced pulmonary resistance (RI) compared with those from controls (P<0.05). Enhanced Akt phosphorylation and NF-κB translocation, and Th2 cytokines expression were observed in pups of 50 mg/(kg·d) DINP-treated group. However, in the 5 and 500 mg/(kg·d) DINP-treated pups, no significant effects were observed. ConclusionTherewas an adjuvant effect of DINP on allergic airway inflammation in pups. Maternal DINP exposure could promote OVA-induced allergic airway response in pups in part by upregulation of PI3K/Akt pathway.