Advance Access publication November 3, 2004 Methoxychlor Induces Proliferation of the Mouse

While the pesticidemethoxychlor (MXC) has a variety of adverse effects on the female reproductive system, the effects ofMXCon the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) are unknown. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis thatMXCalters the growth of theOSE.Mouse OSE cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion and cultured with vehicle, 3 mM ofMXC, or 3 mM of 2,2-bis [ p-hydroxyphenyl]-1,1,1,-trichloroethane (HPTE) for 14 days.After culture, proliferation and apoptosis were assessed by measurement of cell density, immuno-histochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell den-sity was 66 % greater for MXC-treated cells and 95 % greater for HPTE-treated cells than controls ( p 0.05). The estrogen receptor blocker ICI 182,780 abolished MXC- and HPTE-induced increases in cell density. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining was positive in only 226 2.3 % of controls, compared to 356 2.4% of MXC-treated cells and 40 6 2.4 % of HPTE-treated cells (