Immunohistochemical and Cytoarchitectonic Studies of Testes in Triticum aestivum Linn (Poaceae) Lectin‐Administered Sprague‐Dawley Rats

Abstract

This study investigated the reproductive sequelae of administration of common wheat lectin on the cytoarchitecture and immunohistochemically localized androgen receptors (AR) sites in prepubertal rat testes. Forty‐five male prepubertal rats weighing 50–60 g and approximately 30 days old were randomized into three groups represented by different time intervals of two, five and ten weeks, respectively. Each study time frame consisted of three sub‐groups of five rats each. Each sub‐group consisted of control which received 10 mL/kg BW/day of distilled water, reference standard group which received doses of 250 mL/kg BW of pure common wheat lectin while the third group received equal dose of common wheat lectin fraction. All administrations were given daily by gavage via oral cannula. At the end of each study time frame, the rats were sacrificed. The testes were excised and processed for immunohistochemical and cytoarchitectonic studies. Cytoarchitectural assessment of the testes of common wheat lectin exposed rats was characterized by varying degrees of tubular degenerations including germ cells depletion, segmental partial germ cell loss, exfoliation of germ cells into the lumen, appearance of residual bodies in the lumen as well as degeneration and distortion of interstitial (Leydig) cells. These changes were more significant in prepubertal rats administered with a dose of 250 mg/kg BW/day of pure common wheat lectin for 10 weeks. Common Wheat Lectin gradually decreased the androgen receptor expression in the Leydig, Sertoli and peritubular myoid cells, which could induce male factor infertility in rats. The results of this study indicated that lectins from Triticum aestivum Linn. disrupted reproductive parameters in prepubertal male rats time dependently through alteration of the testicular cytoarchitecture, markedly and gradually decreased the androgen receptor expression in the Leydig, Sertoli and peritubular myoid cells, which could induce male factor infertility in rats.