Protective effects of vitamin E on ethane dimethane sulfonate-induced testicular toxicity in rats

Aim： To evaluate the protective/ameliorative effects of vitamin E （vit E） on ethane dimethane sulfonate （EDS） induced testicular toxicity in rats. Methods： The rats were assigned to eight groups, seven rats in each, and were injected intraperitoneally with vehicle, a single dose of ethane dimethane sulfonate （EDS） （75 mg/kg bodyweight）, vit E （100 mg/kg bodyweight） or EDS ＋ vit E for 3-7 days. Thereafter, the rats were weighed, anaesthetized with ether and killed by cervical dislocation. The left testis weights were recorded and the relative testis weights were calculated. The left testes were processed for routine paraffin embedding. Three right testes from each group were taken randomly and then processed for routine electron microscopy. Tissue sections were examined using light and electron microscopy, and were scored for histopathological changes. Results： Vit E coadministration did not prevent the bodyweight loss on days 3 and 7. However, vit E administration prevented the EDS-induced testicular-weight loss in rats that received vit E for 3 days but not 7 days. The relative testis weight was higher on day 3 （instead of on day 7） than other groups. Nevertheless, the testis histology was not markedly protected by vit E in the EDS-treated rats. Detailed microscopic assessment showed few Leydig cells and abundant fibroblast-like cells indicating only some protection. Conclusion： Vit E cotreatment showed partial protective effects on the testicular weight and testicular histology in rats that received EDS.

Studies on the testicular toxicity of 2-bromopropane,an environmental endocrine disrupter

Aim: 2-bromopropane (2-BP) is known as an environmentalendocrine disrupter. Recently its reproductive and hematopoitic tox-icity has aroused the attention of the toxicologists. The presentstudy was designed to study its testicular toxicity in male rats.Methods; Forty male SD rats were divided into four groups of10 rats each. 2-BP was administered intraperitoneally at doses of1800 mg, 600 mg or 200 mg per kg body weight per day for 5days. The control rats were given a similar volume of the vehicle.The animals were sacrificed two days after the last dose. Results: With increasing doses, the seminiferous tubular damage wasgradually increased and the percentage of spermatogonia in the totalgerm cells gradually decreased ( P < 0. 05). The seminiferoustubular area of rats taking 1800 mg/kg was also reduced significant-ly . The body weight, testicular weight and relative testicular weightof rats taking the highest dose level were all significantly decreasedas compared with the controls. (Reprod Contracep 2001; 21; 157-60)

Study on Testicular Toxicity of 2-Bromopropane, an Environmental Endocrine Disrupter

2-Bromopropane (2-BP) is considered as a kind of environmental endocrine disrupters (EDs). Its reproductive and hematopoietic toxicity has aroused the attention of international toxicologists during the past five years.In the present study, we aimed to determine experimentally the testicular toxicity of 2-BP in male rats. Materials & Methods Forty SD male rats were divided into four groups of 10 rats each. The rats were intra-abdominally administered 2-BP once per day for 5 days continuously at the doses of 1800 mg/kg, 600 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and normal saline, respectively. The rats were dissected one week after the first administration. Results The body weight, absolute testes weight and relative testes weight of the rats in 1 800 mg/kg dose group decreased significantly with comparison to those of the con- trol group,while the weight of accessory gonads showed no significant change. With the increase of dosage, the seminiferous tubules damage rate aggravated while the ratio of spermatogonia in total germ cells fell with P<0. 05. The seminiferous tubule area of rats in 1800 mg/kg group also reduced significantly. Under light microscopic examination, the spermatogonia of administered rats showed degeneration and chro- matin condensation. The nucleus of spermatocytes appeared hyperchromatic and py- knotic.Obvious testicular damage could be found in rats of high dose group, including large amount of spermatogonia necrosis or loss and reduced spermatocyte number. The electron microscopic findings were similar to those of the light microscopy, except that typical morphological change was found in the middle dose group: the structure of spermatogonia was destroyed, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum scattered outside, nucleus disintegrated; some of the spermatocytes' membrane became nuclear, chromatin condensed and cogulation necrosis appeared; the nuclear membrane of round spermatids also showed slight damage. Conclusion The results indicated that testis was the target organ of 2-BP's reproduc- tive toxicity. The testicular toxicity of 2-BP started from damaging spermatogonia and its damage on spermatogonia was most obvious among all germ cells.

Plantain-based diet modulates atrazine-induced testicular toxicities in rats

Objective:To assess the potential of plantain-based diet in modulating testicular toxicities in rats exposed to atrazine.Methods:The plantain-based diet at 50%,25% and 12.5% were prepared from the basal diet by substituting the corn starch with plantain fruit pulp flour at different percentages.Wistar rats were fed plantain-based diet in varying concentrations ranging from 12.5% to 50% of the basal diet for 21 days before or after atrazine treatment in a two-phase experiment:preventive and therapeutic phases.The therapeutic model(n=35)had seven groups with 5 rats each,including the control,atrazine,atrazine recovery,atrazine plus plantain-based diet 50%,25%,12.5%,and atrazine plus quercetin groups.The preventive model(n=30)had six groups of 5 rats,consisting of the control,atrazine,50%,25%,12.5% plantain-based diet plus atrazine,and quercetin plus atrazine groups.Gonadal hormones(testosterone,luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone),sperm parameters(sperm motility,viability,morphology and concentration),and testicular function indices(protein,cholesterol,glycogen,acid phosphatase,alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase)were measured.Results:The gonadal hormones,sperm characteristics,and testicular function indices of the rat testis decreased significantly in the atrazine group alongside degeneration of the histoarchitecture.However,plantain-based diet restored the gonadal hormone concentrations,semen parameters,and testicular function indices in both the preventive and therapeutic models.Conclusions:Treatment with plantain-based diet protects against rat testicular toxicity caused by atrazine via the modulation of gonadal hormones,sperm quality,testicular function index as well as histoarchitecture of rat testes.

Pumpkin seed ethanolic extract protects against escitalopram-induced reproductive toxicity in male mice

Objective:To investigate the protective role of pumpkin seed ethanolic extract against escitalopram-induced reproductive toxicity in male mice.Methods:Swiss albino male mice were randomly divided into five groups with six mice in each group.Group Ⅰreceived normal water orally,Group Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳand Ⅴreceived escitalopram oxalate(10 mg/kg),pumpkin seed extract(300 mg/kg)plus escitalopram oxalate(10 mg/kg),escitalopram oxalate(20 mg/kg),and pumpkin seed extract(300 mg/kg)plus escitalopram oxalate(20 mg/kg),respectively.All test doses were continuously administered orally once daily per animal body weight for 30 days and 60 days.Body weight and sexual organ weight were evaluated on day 31 and 61.Effects of pumpkin seed extract on sperm parameters,biochemical parameters and histology of testis were also investigated.Results:Escitalopram 10 or 20 mg/kg caused reproductive toxicity in male mice after 30 and 60 days of treatment.However,simultaneous administration of escitalopram oxalate(10 or 20 mg/kg)with pumpkin seed extract(300 mg/kg)attenuated escitalopram-induced testicular toxicity.Significant increase in the body weight and relative organ weight was observed.Sperm count,sperm motility and viability significantly increased(P<0.05).The histopathological alterations caused by escitalopram was also ameliorated.Conclusions:Ethanolic extract of pumpkin seeds(300 mg/kg body weight)protects again reproductive toxicity induced by escitalopram.Therefore,dietary intake of pumpkin seed extract might be useful for male patients who expose to antidepressant drug due to depression.

Effects of Roselle and Ginger on cisplatin-induced reproductive toxicity in rats

Aim： To evaluate the protective effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa （Roselle） and Zingiber officinale （Ginger） against cisplatin-induced reproductive toxicity in rats and to study the mechanisms underlying these effects. Methods： Ethanol extracts of H. sabdariffa or Z. officinale [1 g/（kg·day）] were given p.o. to male albino rats for 26 days, which began 21 days before a single cisplatin i.p. injection （10 mg/kg body weight）. Results： Extracts of H. sabdariffa and Z. offcinale reduced the extent of cisplatin-induced sperm abnormality and enhanced sperm motility. Both extracts restored the control level of malondialdehyde （MDA） （lipid peroxidation marker） in the cisplatin-treated testis. The cisplatin injection induced decline in the levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, reduced glutathione （GSH） and catalase （CAT） were significantly reversed to control levels in groups where cisplatin was preceded by the administration of either H. sabdariffa or Z. officinale. Conclusion： Both H. sabdariffa and Z. officinale treatment increased the activities of testicular antioxidant enzymes and restored sperm motility of cisplatin-treated rats. The protective effects of tested plants are, therefore, suggested to be mediated by their potent antioxidant activities.

Efficacy of Essential Trace Elements Supplementation on Mineral Composition,Sperm Characteristics,Antioxidant Status,and Genotoxicity in Testis of Tebuconazole-treated Rats

Objective This research was performed to evaluate the effect of tebuconazole(TBZ)on reproductive organs of male rats and to assess the protective role of combined essential trace elements in alleviating the detrimental effect of TBZ on male reproductive function.Methods For this purpose,48 rats were exposed to 100 mg/kg TBZ,TBZ supplemented with zinc(Zn),selenium(Se),copper(Cu),and iron(Fe),TBZ+(Se+Zn);TBZ+Cu;or TBZ+Fe.The experiment was conducted for 30 consecutive days.Results TBZ caused a significant perturbation in mineral levels and reduction in reproductive organs weights,plasma testosterone level,and testicular antioxidant enzyme activities.The TBZ-treated group also showed a significant increase in sperm abnormalities(count,motility,and viability percent),plasma follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone concentrations,lipid peroxidation,protein oxidation,and severe DNA degradation in comparison with the controls.Histopathologically,TBZ caused testis impairments.Conversely,treatment with trace elements,in combination or alone,improved the reproductive organ weights,sperm characteristics,TBZ-induced toxicity,and histopathological modifications in testis.Conclusion TBZ exerts significant harmful effects on male reproductive system.The concurrent administration of trace elements reduces testis dysfunction,fertility,and toxicity induced by TBZ.

Bisphenol A induces testicular oxidative stress in mice leading to ferroptosis

Bisphenol A is a common environmental factor and endocrine disruptor that exerts a negative impact on male reproductive ability.By exploring bisphenol A-induced testicular cell death using the Institute of Cancer Research(ICR)mouse model,we found that a ferroptosis phenomenon may exist.Mice were divided into six groups and administered different doses of bisphenol A via intragastric gavage once daily for 45 consecutive days.Serum was then collected to determine the levels of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde.Epididymal sperm was also collected for semen analysis,and testicular tissue was collected for ferritin content determination,electron microscope observation of mitochondrial morphology,immunohistochemistry,real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and western blot analysis.Exposure to bisphenol A was found to decrease sperm quality and cause oxidative damage,iron accumulation,and mitochondrial damage in the testes of mice.In addition,bisphenol A was confirmed to affect the expression of the ferroptosis-related genes,glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),ferritin heavy chain 1(FTH1),cyclooxygenase 2(COX2),and acyl-CoA synthetase 4(ACSL4)in mouse testicular tissues.Accordingly,we speculate that bisphenol A induces oxidative stress,which leads to the ferroptosis of testicular cells.Overall,the inhibition of ferroptosis may be a potential strategy to reduce male reproductive toxicity caused by bisphenol A.