scholarly journals Herbicide Metolachlor Causes Changes in Reproductive Endocrinology of Male Wistar Rats

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francielle Tatiane Mathias ◽  
Renata Marino Romano ◽  
Hanan Kaled Sleiman ◽  
Claudio Alvarenga de Oliveira ◽  
Marco Aurelio Romano

S-metolachlor is a chloroacetanilide herbicide widely used in the agriculture to control weeds and was demonstrated that it increases the activity of the aromatase enzyme in cell cultures, which may culminate as endocrine disruption action in vivo. To investigate this hypothesis, prepubertal Wistar male rats were exposed to metolachlor (5 or 50 mg/kg/day, NOEL for reproductive toxicity: 23.5–26.0 mg/kg/day) from PND23 (postnatal day) to PND53. During this period, the growth of the animals and the age and weight at puberty were recorded. In PND53, tissues were collected and the analysis of LH, FSH, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol serum concentrations, morphometric evaluation of the seminiferous epithelium, and weight of the testes and the seminal vesicle (undrained and drained) was performed (Statistical difference: P<0.05). Metolachlor caused an increase in serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, and FSH and a reduction in DHT but did not alter the LH. There were also observed a higher amount of fluid in the seminal vesicles, precocious puberty, and changes in morphology of the seminiferous epithelium of treated animals. We demonstrated in this paper that prepubertal exposure to S-metolachlor caused changes in reproductive endocrinology of male rats.

Author(s):  
Narges Yousefalizadegan ◽  
Zahra Mousavi ◽  
Tayebeh Rastegar ◽  
Yasaman Razavi ◽  
Parvaneh Najafizadeh

Background: Manganese Dioxide (MnO2) has long been used in industry, and its application has recently been increasing in the form of nanoparticle. Objective: The present study was an attempt to assess the effects of MnO2 nanoparticles on spermatogenesis in male rats. Materials and Methods: Micro- and nanoparticles of MnO2 were injected (100 mg/kg) subcutaneously to male Wistar rats (150 ± 20 gr) once a week for a period of 4 weeks, and the vehicle group received only normal saline (each group included 8 rats). The effect of these particles on the bodyweight, number of sperms, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, diameter of seminiferous tubes, testosterone, estrogen, follicle stimulating factor, and the motility of sperms were evaluated and then compared among the control and vehicle groups as the criteria for spermatogenesis. Results: The results showed that a chronic injection of MnO2 nanoparticles caused a significant decrease in the number of sperms, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, diameter of seminiferous tubes (p < 0.001) and in the motility of sperms. However, no significant difference was observed in the weight of prostate, epididymis, left testicle, estradiol (p = 0.8) and testosterone hormone (p = 0.2). Conclusion: It seems that the high oxidative power of both particles was the main reason for the disturbances in the function of the testis. It is also concluded that these particles may have a potential reproductive toxicity in adult male rats. Further studies are thus needed to determine its mechanism of action upon spermatogenesis.


1970 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell J. Tveter

ABSTRACT The distribution of radioactive material in the prostate gland and the seminal vesicles has been studied by autoradiography after intramuscular administration of [1,2-3H] testosterone in vivo to adult castrated male rats. Positive autoradiographs were obtained from 7½ min to 8 h after the administration. As early as after 15 min, there appeared to be a selective localization of radioactivity in the epithelial cells, with much of the labelling associated with the nuclei; the stromal labelling was markedly less. This picture was even more significant ½, 1 and 2 h after the injection, when the autoradiographs demonstrated a preferential labelling of the nuclei of the epithelial cells. A distinct labelling of the epithelial cells was also found 8 h after the injection. The same qualitative pattern of distribution of radioactivity was seen in the four prostatic lobes and the seminal vesicles. No significant labelling of the secretions in the glandular lumina was observed.


1960 ◽  
Vol XXXIV (III) ◽  
pp. 344-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome A. Grunt ◽  
Joseph E. Walker

ABSTRACT The responses of several seminal vesicle in vivo microscopic characteristics, seminal vesicle contractions, seminal vesicle, kidney and adrenal weights and seminal vesicle histology have been compared following the administration of testosterone propionate (T. P.) and norethandrolone (19-NT) to castrated male rats. Fourteen days after castration 35 male Osborne-Mendel rats were divided into 5 groups each containing 6 to 8 animals and given daily subcutaneous injections of 0.1 ml sesame oil with or without added steroids. The groups were: I – sesame oil; II – 100 μg 19-NT; III – 500 μg 19-NT; IV – 100 μg T.P.; V – 500 μg T. P. After 7 days of injections, seminal vesicles were studied by the transillumination method of Knisely. The seminal vesicles, adrenals and kidneys were then removed and weighed and the vesicles were prepared for routine histological examination. The adrenal and kidney weights, as well as the seminal vesicle contractions, responded to both steroids in a similar manner, however, seminal vesicle weight and histology and in vivo characteristics differed greatly. 19-NT appeared to have very little effect on vesicle weight, in vivo characteristics and histology although contractions were inhibited in 13 of 14 animals so treated. Therefore, when used as the end-point in hormonal reactions, seminal vesicle contractions should not be considered comparable to the usual secondary sexual organ reactivity to hormones.


2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ch. Supriya ◽  
B. P. Girish ◽  
P. Sreenivasula Reddy

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), one of the most common mycotoxins found in human foods, is principally hepatotoxic; however, it also affects reproduction. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the reproductive toxic effects and possible mechanism of action of AFB1 in rats. Male Wistar rats were injected intramuscularly with doses of 10, 20, or 50 µg AFB1/kg body weight on alternate days from 45 to 100 days of age. Significant reductions in body weights, relative weights of reproductive organs, daily sperm production, epididymal sperm count, viable sperm, motile sperm, and hypoosmotic swelling-tail coiled sperm were observed. Significant decreases in testicular steroidogenic enzymes and serum testosterone levels were also observed indicating decreased steroidogenesis. In silico docking studies illustrated AFB1 binds with steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein thereby affecting the transport of cholesterol into mitochondria resulting in decreased steroidogenesis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Babu Jestadi ◽  
Alugoju Phaniendra ◽  
Undru Babji ◽  
Bhavatharini Shanmuganathan ◽  
Latha Periyasamy

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of low dose of atrazine on reproductive system of male Wistar rats. 16 rats were divided into four groups of four animals each. Group I (nondiabetic) and group III (diabetic) animals served as controls that received safflower oil (300 μL/kg bw/day), respectively. Group II (nondiabetic) and group IV (diabetic) animals received atrazine (300 μg/kg bw/day). Nonsignificant decrease in the activities of antioxidant and steroidogenic enzymes and sperm parameters suggests that atrazine did not produce any effect on reproductive system of rats. Histological findings also revealed that atrazine at a dose of 300 μg/kg bw did not produce any testicular toxic effects in nondiabetic and diabetic atrazine treated rats. Low dose of atrazine did not show reproductive toxicity in rats. To know the effects of atrazine in diabetic rats further studies have to be carried out with increased concentration of atrazine.


1970 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjell J. Tveter ◽  
Asbjörn Aakvaag

ABSTRACT The radioactive material present in the different prostatic lobes and the seminal vesicles was isolated and identified after intramuscular injection of [1,2-3H] testosterone to adult castrated male rats. 5α-Dihydrotestosterone was the main metabolite, representing 70, 72, 49, 56 and 70%, respectively, of the total activity in the ventral, dorsal and lateral prostate, the coagulating glands and the seminal vesicles one hour after the administration of hormone. The corresponding values for unchanged [3H] testosterone were 16, 6.4, 23, 6 and 15%, respectively. In rectus abdominis muscle less than 0.3% was 5α-dihydrotestosterone, while 37% represented unconverted [3H] testosterone. Of the activity in liver, [3H]-testosterone accounted for 0.2%, whereas less than 0.1% was 5α-dihydrotestosterone. One hour after administration of [1,2-3H] androst-4-ene-3,17-dione to adult castrated rats, the uptake of radioactivity in the ventral prostate was about 2.7 times higher than in skeletal muscle. In the ventral prostate, 32% of the total activity present at this time was represented by 5α-dihydrotestosterone, while 3.5% was unmetabolized [3H] androstenedione. The corresponding values for the seminal vesicles were 24 and 3.7%, respectively. In the 105 000 × g supernatant fraction of homogenized ventral prostate tissue, part of the radioactivity was associated with soluble macromolecules one hour after the administration of [3H]-androstenedione.


1975 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. KRIEG ◽  
H.-J. HORST ◽  
M.-L. STERBA

SUMMARY Binding of 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (3α-diol) and 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol (3β-diol) in vivo and in vitro to the 100000 g cytosol fraction of the rat prostate and seminal vesicles as well as to plasma was studied by agargel electrophoresis and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation and the results compared with the corresponding findings for 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT). The metabolism of 3α-diol and 3β-diol was also investigated by thin-layer chromatography. The following results were obtained: (1) A specific binding of 3α-diol and 3β-diol by the cytosols could not be demonstrated in vitro, while 5α-DHT was specifically bound. (2) In plasma, 3α-diol was extensively bound, 3β-diol less extensively bound, while 5α-DHT remained unbound. (3) After intravenous injection of 3α-diol, specifically bound radioactivity, increasing within 30 min, was found in the prostate cytosol, while after 3β-diol injection no binding occurred. (4) Parallel to the increased binding, the total radioactivity in the prostate accumulated within 30 min after 3α-diol injection, the uptake being 5·3 times higher than in skeletal muscle. However after 3β-diol injection, total radioactivity decreased in the prostate within 30 min, the uptake being only 1·5 times higher than in skeletal muscle. (5) One minute after injection of 3α-diol, 53% of the extracted radioactivity in the prostate had been converted to 5α-DHT, this increased within 30 min to 81%. Thirty minutes after the injection of 3β-diol, about 32% of the extracted radioactivity in the prostate had been converted to 5α-DHT. (6) From the in-vivo and in-vitro experiments it was concluded that 3α-diol exerts its biological effects mainly by its conversion into 5α-DHT.


1976 ◽  
Vol 160 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
S J Higgins ◽  
J M Burchell ◽  
W I Mainwaring

Tissue wet weight, nucleic acid content and epithelial and stromal cell numbers were measured in the seminal vesicles of sexually mature male rats. After castration, tissue weight and RNA decreased rapidly and in aprallel to reach, after 14 days, values only 15-20% of those in control (not castrated) animals. During this period, DNA decreased to a much lesser extent (by about 40%), but this change in DNA correlates well with the observed loss of cells from the epithelium. Testosterone in vivo promoted an immediate resynthesis of RNA, the value characteristic of control animals being reached within 80h. Delays occurred in the hormone-induced regain of tissue weight (30h) and DNA (40h), each of which preceded proliferation of the epithelium (40-50h). The cells of the stroma were unaffected by these changes in the androgenic statls of the animal. It is suggested that these proliferative changes in the epithelium cannot account for the previously reported induction by testosterone of basic secretory proteins in this tissue.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document