Background:
Cadmium (Cd) impairs gametogenesis and damages the blood-testis barrier.
Objective: As the primary mechanism of Cd-induced damage is oxidative stress, the effects of two natural
antioxidants, myo-inositol (MI) and seleno-L-methionine (Se), were evaluated in mice testes.
Methods:
Eighty-four male C57 BL/6J mice were divided into twelve groups: 0.9% NaCl (vehicle; 1
ml/kg/day i.p.); Se (0.2 mg/kg/day per os); Se (0.4 mg/kg/day per os); MI (360 mg/kg/day per os); MI
plus Se (0.2 mg/kg/day); MI plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 (2 mg/kg/day i.p.) plus vehicle; CdCl2 plus
MI; CdCl2 plus Se (0.2 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 plus MI plus Se (0.2
mg/kg/day); and CdCl2 plus MI plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day). After 14 days, testes were processed for biochemical,
structural and immunohistochemical analyses.
Results:
CdCl2 increased iNOS and TNF-α expression and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, lowered
glutathione (GSH) and testosterone, induced testicular lesions, and almost eliminated claudin-11 immunoreactivity.
Se administration at 0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg significantly reduced iNOS and TNF-α expression,
maintained GSH, MDA and testosterone levels, structural changes and low claudin-11 immunoreactivity.
MI alone or associated with Se at 0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg significantly reduced iNOS and TNF-α
expression and MDA levels, increased GSH and testosterone levels, ameliorated structural organization
and increased claudin-11 patches number.
Conclusion:
We demonstrated a protective effect of MI, a minor role of Se and an evident positive role
of the association between MI and Se on Cd-induced damages of the testis. MI alone or associated with
Se might protect testes in subjects exposed to toxicants, at least to those with behavior similar to Cd.
New insights of polyamine metabolism in testicular physiology: A role of ornithine decarboxylase antizyme inhibitor 2 (AZIN2) in the modulation of testosterone levels and sperm motility
