Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin E on mancozeb-induced testis damage of the first-generation pups during intrauterine and lactating periods. Two groups of pregnant NMRI mice received 500 mg/kg mancozeb (MNZ) as MNZ group and 200 mg/kg vitamin E as MNZ+vit.E group before receiving MNZ. In addition, a vehicle and a control group were designed every other day in gestation and lactation periods. The male pups from each group were maintained until adulthood (8-10 W). The left testes and epididymides were removed following the sacrifice of the pups. Then, they were weighed, and sperm parameters including number, viability, motility, and morphology and testis structure were evaluated. A significant decrease occurred in sperm parameters of the mancozeb-treated pups compared to the control and vehicle groups. Treatment with vitamin E reversed the deleterious effects of MNZ to a nearly normal condition. Testis parameters including the weight, gonadosomatic index, seminiferous tubule diameters, and Johnsen's score, as well as the number of germ cells such as spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatid, and Sertoli, decreased significantly in the MNZ group, compared to the amount in the control and vehicle groups. Interestingly, the treatment with vitamin E was reversed in most of these parameters. Based on the results, the exposure of pups to mancozeb during pregnancy and lactating periods negatively affects the reproductive system of male pups. However, the coadministration of vitamin E could prevent the deleterious effects of mancozeb on sperm and testis parameters.
Highlights
Mancozeb, as a pesticide approved by the American EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) [1] with minimal toxicity in mammals [2], is increasingly used around the world [3, 4]
There are some gaps in the data and unresolved questions regarding the impact of mancozeb on some developing organs such as reproductive systems [10] which was suggested in a review paper [1]
The mechanisms by which vitamin E protects cells from oxidative stress include maintaining the natural level of glutathione as an intracellular scavenger of the free radicals, protecting cell membranes by inhibiting peroxidation, clearing cells from reactive oxygen species (ROS) [16, 48], and reducing apoptosis [49, 50]
Summary
As a pesticide approved by the American EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) [1] with minimal toxicity in mammals [2], is increasingly used around the world [3, 4]. Some researchers believe that the adverse effects of mancozebcontaminated agriculture products and water have been increasing since the first appearance of mancozeb in 1948 [1]. In this regard, neurotoxic effects and Parkinson’s like symptoms [5], fetal brain development dysregulation [6], and thyroid hormone disruption are highlighted, especially among women [7]. In the Journal of Toxicology present study, vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), as a liposoluble antioxidant [14] with their high impact on fertility potential [15, 16], was used to evaluate its impact on mancozeb-induced damage of male reproductive system development. The effects of long-term exposure of embryos and neonate mice to mancozeb and the preventative effects of vitamin E on sperm parameter disturbance and testicular damage in the first-generation mice pups (f1) were evaluated
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