Protein Information

Name androgen receptor
Synonyms AIS; AR; Androgen receptor; DHTR; Dihydrotestosterone receptor; HUMARA; KD; NR3C4…

Compound Information

Name dibutyl phthalate
CAS dibutyl 1,2-benzenedicarboxylate

Reference List

PubMed Abstract RScore(About this table)
18294747 Kruger T, Long M, Bonefeld-Jorgensen EC: Plastic components affect the activation of the aryl hydrocarbon and the androgen receptor. Toxicology. 2008 Apr 18;246(2-3):112-23. Epub 2008 Jan 10.

The effects on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and the androgen receptor (AR) were assessed using luciferase reporter gene assays of the following compounds: bisphenol A (BPA), 4-n-nonylphenol (nNP), 4-tert-octylphenol (tOP), bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), 4-chloro-3-methylphenol (CMP), 2-phenylphenol (2-PP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP), resorcinol and bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA).
7(0,0,1,2) Details
19549552 Scarano WR, Toledo FC, Guerra MT, de Campos SG, Junior LA, Felisbino SL, Anselmo-Franci JA, Taboga SR, Kempinas Wde G: Long-term effects of developmental exposure to di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP) on rat prostate: proliferative and inflammatory disorders and a possible role of androgens. Toxicology. 2009 Aug 21;262(3):215-23. Epub 2009 Jun 21.


Distal segment fragments of the ventral prostate were fixed and processed for histochemistry and immunohistochemistry to detect androgen receptor (AR) and Ki67 antigens.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
18923996 Ryu JY, Lee E, Kim TH, Lee YJ, Lee J, Lee BM, Kwack SJ, Jung KK, Han SY, Kim SH, Kacew S, Kim HS: Time-response effects of testicular gene expression profiles in Sprague-Dawley male rats treated with di (n-butyl) phthalate. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(23):1542-9.


The levels of androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha), and retinoid X receptor-gamma (RXR-r) expression decreased significantly in a time- or dose-dependent manner.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
11719706 Shultz VD, Phillips S, Sar M, Foster PM, Gaido KW: Altered gene profiles in fetal rat testes after in utero exposure to di (n-butyl) phthalate. Toxicol Sci. 2001 Dec;64(2):233-42.


Results of this study have led to the identification of several possible mechanisms by which DBP can induce its antiandrogenic effects on the developing male reproductive tract without direct interaction with the androgen receptor.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
14617579 Thompson CJ, Ross SM, Gaido KW: Di (n-butyl) phthalate impairs cholesterol transport and steroidogenesis in the fetal rat testis through a rapid and reversible mechanism. Endocrinology. 2004 Mar;145(3):1227-37. Epub 2003 Nov 14.


In utero exposure to di (n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) leads to a variety of male reproductive abnormalities similar to those caused by androgen receptor antagonists.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
15513902 Kim HS, Kim TS, Shin JH, Moon HJ, Kang IH, Kim IY, Oh JY, Han SY: Neonatal exposure to di (n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) alters male reproductive-tract development. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004 Dec;67(23-24):2045-60.


In addition, the expressions of androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptors (ERs), and steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) were also examined in the testes.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
15829613 Bowman CJ, Turner KJ, Sar M, Barlow NJ, Gaido KW, Foster PM: Altered gene expression during rat Wolffian duct development following di (n-butyl) phthalate exposure. Toxicol Sci. 2005 Jul;86(1):161-74. Epub 2005 Apr 13.


There was also a variable decrease in androgen receptor protein in ductal epithelial cells on GD 19.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
17928633 Hutchison GR, Scott HM, Walker M, McKinnell C, Ferrara D, Mahood IK, Sharpe RM: Sertoli cell development and function in an animal model of testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Biol Reprod. 2008 Feb;78(2):352-60. Epub 2007 Oct 10.


Sertoli cell maturational development in DBP-exposed males, assessed using five protein markers (anti-mullerian hormone, cytokeratin, androgen receptor, CDKN1B, and Nestin), was largely normal, with some evidence of delayed maturation.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
17289843 Scott HM, Hutchison GR, Mahood IK, Hallmark N, Welsh M, De Gendt K, Verhoeven G, O'Shaughnessy P, Sharpe RM: Role of androgens in fetal testis development and dysgenesis. Endocrinology. 2007 May;148(5):2027-36. Epub 2007 Feb 8.


Dysgenetic features were also evaluated in mice with inactivation of the androgen receptor (testicular feminized or ARKO mice).
1(0,0,0,1) Details
10910998 Lambright C, Ostby J, Bobseine K, Wilson V, Hotchkiss AK, Mann PC, Gray LE Jr: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of linuron: an antiandrogenic herbicide that produces reproductive malformations in male rats. Toxicol Sci. 2000 Aug;56(2):389-99.


Some, like flutamide, procymidone, or vinclozolin compete with androgens for the androgen receptor (AR), inhibit AR-DNA binding, and alter androgen-dependent gene expression in vivo and in vitro.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
10188194 Gray LE Jr, Wolf C, Lambright C, Mann P, Price M, Cooper RL, Ostby J: Administration of potentially antiandrogenic pesticides (procymidone, linuron, iprodione, chlozolinate, p,p'-DDE, and ketoconazole) and toxic substances (dibutyl- and diethylhexyl phthalate, PCB 169, and ethane dimethane sulphonate) during sexual differentiation produces diverse profiles of reproductive malformations in the male rat. Toxicol Ind Health. 1999 Jan-Mar;15(1-2):94-118.

For example, in utero treatment with the androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, flutamide, produces ventral prostate agenesis and testicular nondescent, while in contrast, finasteride, an inhibitor of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) synthesis, rarely, if ever, induces such malformations.
In this regard, it was recently proposed that dibutyl phthalate (DBP) alters reproductive development by a different mechanism of action than flutamide or vinclozolin (V), which are AR antagonists, because the male offsprings display an unusually high incidence of testicular and epididymal alterations--effects rarely seen after in utero flutamide or V treatment.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
19418041 Weiss JM, Hamers T, Thomas KV, van der Linden S, Leonards PE, Lamoree MH: Masking effect of anti-androgens on androgenic activity in European river sediment unveiled by effect-directed analysis. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2009 Jul;394(5):1385-97. Epub 2009 May 6.


Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, a technical mixture of nonylphenol and dibutyl phthalate were identified to contribute to the anti-androgenic potency observed in the river sediment sample.
0(0,0,0,0) Details
18205796 Rider CV, Furr J, Wilson VS, Gray LE Jr: A mixture of seven antiandrogens induces reproductive malformations in rats. Int J Androl. 2008 Apr;31(2):249-62. Epub 2008 Jan 16.


In this study, pregnant rats were exposed to four dilutions of a mixture containing vinclozolin, procymidone, linuron, prochloraz, benzyl butyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate during the period of sexual differentiation and male offspring were assessed for effects on hormone sensitive endpoints including: anogenital distance, infant areolae retention and reproductive tract tissue weights and malformations.
0(0,0,0,0) Details