The LA-specific recovery from a TCDD-induced reduction in the fetal expression of testicular StAR and CYP17; A, StAR mRNA; B, StAR protein; C, CYP17 mRNA; and D, CYP17 protein.

<p>The fetal (GD20) testis was analyzed after maternal exposure to TCDD (GD15) and anti-oxidants (GD15-20). The expression of mRNA and protein was analyzed RT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. See Materials and Methods for the details of animal treatment and analytical methods. Edaravone is abbreviated as Eda. The levels of StAR and CYP17 mRNAs were normalized by β-actin mRNA. In the white bar control, pregnant rats were treated with DMSO alone or anti-oxidant dissolved in DMSO. In the shaded bar control, dams were given aqueous NaCl alone or anti-oxidant dissolved in this solution. Each bar represents the mean value relative to the control ± SEM of 10 fetuses, each 2 of which were removed from 5 different dams. In processing the data, the values of two fetuses from one dam were averaged to become one analytical unit. Thus, the data are shown as N = 5 dams. *p<0.05 and **p<0.01, from the respective controls (panels A and C) or between a pair indicated (panels B and D).