# Gender and sex differences in phthalate-induced toxicity in the reproductive system

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN · 2021 · $519,353

## Abstract

Phthalates are ubiquitous synthetic chemicals used as plasticizers and stabilizers in a myriad of consumer
products. People are ubiquitously exposed to phthalates on a daily basis, and gender- and sex-specific
differences exist in phthalate exposures and toxicity. However, few studies have examined the gender- and
sex-specific effects of prenatal exposure to phthalates on the reproductive health of the offspring. The
reproductive system is complex and requires a timeline of normal development and function of the
reproductive tissues (i.e., brain, pituitary, ovary, testes, and uterus), key reproductive hormones (i.e.,
estrogens, androgens, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone), and reproductive
sex behaviors (i.e., male and female sexual interest, behavioral responsiveness, and partner preference),
which may differ by gender and sex. Therefore, the proposed studies will test the hypothesis that exposure
to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture causes earlier subfertility in female offspring than male
offspring through mechanisms that involve gender- and sex-specific effects on the brain, pituitary, gonads,
uterus, key hormone pathways, and reproductive behaviors. To test this hypothesis, the proposed studies
will determine: 1) the effects of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on the
morphology of key reproductive tissues, 2) the effects of prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant
phthalate mixture on hormone production and responsiveness, and 3) the impact of prenatal exposure to an
environmentally relevant phthalate mixture on reproductive behaviors and sexual attractiveness. Collectively,
the proposed work will determine the mechanisms by which prenatal phthalate exposure causes sex-specific
and gender-specific subfertility and reproductive behavior in the offspring. A better understanding of the
mechanisms of action of phthalates may lead to the development of novel targets for the treatment of
phthalate-induced diseases. It also may lead to the identification of factors that cause sex-specific and
gender-specific adverse reproductive outcomes. This could have a major impact on improving the health of
women and men, particularly because it currently is not possible to eliminate phthalate exposure.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10240715
- **Project number:** 5R01ES032163-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
- **Principal Investigator:** Indrani C Bagchi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $519,353
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-17 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10240715

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10240715, Gender and sex differences in phthalate-induced toxicity in the reproductive system (5R01ES032163-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10240715. Licensed CC0.

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