Functional Impairment of Bovine Spermatozoa by Fungicide Mancozeb: an in vitro Exposure Study

C Kodithuwakku,C Rathnayake,M P B Wijayagunawardhane,S P Kodithuwakku,Y G M Prasadani,K F Lee

doi:10.4038/tar.v32i3.8500

C Kodithuwakku, C Rathnayake + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.4038/tar.v32i3.8500

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Abstract

Agrochemicals have been identified as endocrine disruptors affecting many bodily functions of animals, especially the fertility of males. Evidence of various agrochemicals affecting male reproductive functions are plenty. However, evidence on disruptive effects of fungicides on sperm functions is scarce. Therefore, an in vitro study was conducted to investigate acute effects of the fungicide Mancozeb on spermatozoa functions using a bovine spermatozoa model. Semen samples were obtained from fertility proven Jersey bulls and were exposed to series of Mancozeb concentrations (0.01 μg/ml to 10 μg/ml), and the changes occurred in sperm motility parameters, acrosine proteolytic activity and acrosome integrity were assessed at different time intervals. Pure and commercial forms of Mancozeb were in the study, and sperm motility parameters were measured using computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Mancozeb concentration of 1 μg/ml with 2 hours exposure significantly (p≤0.05) reduced the total sperm motility and the sperm progressive motility. Velocity parameters like average path, straight line, curvy linear and amplitude lateral head displacement were significantly (p≤0.05) reduced after 2 hours in both pure and commercial Mancozeb treatments of 1 μg/ml. However, the beat cross frequency and elongation of the sperm were significantly (p≤0.05) reduced only with commercial Mancozeb. Further, the acrosome integrity and proteolytic activity of the acrosome enzymes were significantly (p≤0.05) compromised by both Mancozeb treatments. The study revealed that Mancozeb (>1 ug/ml) could reduce the sperm motility and impairment of acrosome activity significantly. Nevertheless, commercial Mancozeb formulation has the highest impact on the sperm functions. Thus, Mancozeb may affect the fertilization capacity of the spermatozoa under acute exposure.

Highlights

During the last six decades both male and female fertility has shown a decreasing trend in humans as well as in farm animals all over the world (Liu and Ding, 2017; Mendonca et al, 2017; Sifakis et al, 2017; Crowe et al, 2018; Melodie and Christine, 2018)
Semen samples were obtained from fertility proven Jersey bulls and were exposed to series of Mancozeb concentrations (0.01 μg/ml to 10 μg/ml), and the changes occurred in sperm motility parameters, acrosine proteolytic activity and acrosome integrity were assessed at different time intervals
Commercially available Mancozeb (80% w/w) was compared with analytical grade pure Mancozeb standard treatments. Both the pure and commercial Mancozeb treatments significantly (p

Summary

Introduction

During the last six decades both male and female fertility has shown a decreasing trend in humans as well as in farm animals all over the world (Liu and Ding, 2017; Mendonca et al, 2017; Sifakis et al, 2017; Crowe et al, 2018; Melodie and Christine, 2018). Farm animals and wildlife are being continuously exposed to different doses of pesticides via water, food and the environment (Giulivo et al, 2016; Nicolopoulou-Stamati et al, 2016; Sifakis et al, 2017) Many of these agrochemicals have endocrine disruptive properties, and as a result, some of them have been banned from use in agriculture (Ewence et al.,2015). Evidence suggest that many endocrine disrupters could affect both the male and female reproductive systems, and a majority of the fungicides, insecticides and herbicides that are found in the agricultural environments have been classified as EDCs. With the increasing food production and the use of agrochemicals that go tandem with it, the fertility status of humans and animals has shown a decline (Runkle et al, 2017). There are increasing evidence to suggest that pesticides can function as endocrine disruptors and alter semen quality and quantity even with continuous exposure to low concentrations (Chiu et al, 2015; Den Hond et al, 2015; Sweeney et al, 2015; Niederberger, 2016)

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