Protective Effects of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on Testis Spermatogenic Injury Induced by Bisphenol A in Mice.

Caili Zhang,Xiaona Sun,Xiaocai Li,Xinghua Zhao,Anzhong Wang,Aituan Ma,Shuang Li

doi:10.1155/2013/690808

Abstract

To observe the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on testis spermatogenic injuries induced by Bisphenol A (BPA) in mice. BPA was subcutaneously injected into mice at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 7 consecutive days. LBP was administered simultaneously with BPA by gavage daily at the dose of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW for 7 days. After treatment, the weight and the histopathology changes of testis and epididymis were examined; the contents of T, LH, GnRH, antioxidant enzyme, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were detected; proapoptotic protein Bax and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 were also detected by immunohistochemical method. Results showed that the weights of testis and epididymis were all increased after supplement with different dosages of LBP compared with BPA group, and the activities of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly increased in LBP groups, while MDA contents were gradually decreased. Moreover, the levels of T, LH, and GnRH were significantly elevated in serum treated with 100 mg/kg LBP. LBP also shows significant positive effects on the expression of Bcl-2/Bax in BPA treated mice. It is concluded that LBP may be one of the potential ingredients protecting the adult male animals from BPA induced reproductive damage.

Highlights

There is a growing concern about the possible health threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are substances involved in the environment, food, and consumer products that interfere with hormone biosynthesis, metabolism, or action resulting in a deviation from normal homeostatic control [1,2,3]
In addition to obesity and diabetes, reproductive damage has joined the list of adverse effects that have been associated with developmental exposure to environmental estrogens and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals [6, 7]
Present experiment has demonstrated that Bisphenol A (BPA) may disturb the reproductive system function of adult male mice

Summary

Introduction

There is a growing concern about the possible health threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are substances involved in the environment, food, and consumer products that interfere with hormone biosynthesis, metabolism, or action resulting in a deviation from normal homeostatic control [1,2,3]. In addition to obesity and diabetes, reproductive damage has joined the list of adverse effects that have been associated with developmental exposure to environmental estrogens and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals [6, 7]. A study showed that the weights and coefficients of testis in BPA treated rats significantly decreased compared to the control. Our previous researches suggest that BPA would decrease the reproductive organ weights and coefficients, downregulate the levels of T and LH, and damage the spermatogenic capability in adult male mice [12]. The harmfulness of BPA as well as many other EDCs on reproductive system has been tested by a number of studies, while the data for how to reverse the damage is very limited

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion