Abstract
The present study was carried out to assess the contraceptive efficacy of sperm agglutinating factor (SAF) isolated from Serratia marcescens, in male Balb/c mice. Mice were administered via an intratesticular route with different concentrations of SAF, viz., 10, 50, 100, 200, or 400 µg, in the right testis only which served as a test while the left side served as control except otherwise stated. Mice were sacrificed on day 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45, 60, and 90 after administration, and results in terms of change in body weight, seminal parameters, tissue somatic indices (TSI), hematological parameters, serum level of testosterone, lipid peroxidation, and histology were studied. The body weight and TSI remained unaffected in all the experimental groups. In case of seminal parameters, the right testis treated with 10 μg, 50 μg, 100 μg, 200 μg, or 400 μg of SAF showed azoospermia up to day 7, 14, 21, 45, and 90, respectively. The hematological indices, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were found to be unaltered when the group receiving SAF (test) was compared with the groups receiving phosphate buffer saline (control) in the right testis; however, the treatment had a negative effect on the serum level of testosterone. It also affected the oxidative status of the right testis. Furthermore, histological studies revealed hypospermatogenesis and alterations in the seminiferous tubules which included intraepithelial vacuolation and exfoliation in the right side as compared to the left side. Thus, the results suggest that SAF (400 µg) causes suppression of spermatogenesis, without causing apparent toxic effects.
Highlights
Ese compounds led to hypospermatogenesis via several effects, viz., decrease in the testosterone level, disruption of the seminiferous tubules, and an increase in the oxidative stress. ough the intake of antioxidants may swamp the effects generated by these compounds [1,2,3,4,5], all other mechanisms contiguously affect the reproductive potential
We have made an attempt to demonstrate the effect of sperm agglutinating factor (SAF) on the reproductive potential of male mice by monitoring its effect on changes in body weight, tissue somatic indices (TSI), hematological parameters, seminal parameters, testosterone level, lipid peroxidation, and tissue histology. e body weight profile of SAF-treated mice showed no significant changes and these findings are in line with the study by Reddy et al [10] and Chauhan and Agarwal [11]; wherein, no change was reported in the body weight of the male rats treated with a microbial peptide nisin and extract of Cassia fistula
Evaluation of TSI (%) of reproductive organs and nonreproductive organs was carried out to investigate their functional status ensuing various experimental conditions, and results of unilateral administration of SAF in right testis revealed no significant changes in %TSI
Summary
Commendable progress has been made in developing highly efficient, user-friendly, safe, and reversible contraceptive methods for females, progress in case of males is creeping at a slow pace. With various lacunae in these approaches, the challenge remains to come out with the compounds that are broadly acceptable, safe, cost-effective, and reversible. In this regard, some plants, as well as chemical compounds, have been recognized for their value in the field of contraception. Henceforward, the present study was designed for evaluating the impact of the sperm agglutinating factor (SAF) on the reproductive potential of male mice via an intratesticular route of administration
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