Project 4 researchers Dr. Jennifer Schlezinger and Dr. David Sherr recently published an article titled “An Endogenous Prostaglandin Enhances Environmental Phthalate-Induced Apoptosis in Bone Marrow B Cells: Activation of Distinct but Overlapping Pathways” in the Journal of Immunology. Phthalate esters are used as plasticizers in a variety of polyvinyl chloride products, including toys, i.v. lines, blood bags, and shower curtains. In humans the main phthalate plasticizer (DEHP) is metabolized into a chemical called MEHP.

In this paper Schlezinger and Sherr sought to understand the signaling pathways that allow MEPH and the endogenous prostaglandin 15d-PGJ₂ to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in bone marrow B cells. After a series of experiments, the authors found that MEPH and 15d-PGJ₂ induce apoptosis through overlapping yet separate pathways.