Study of antagonism of citric acid on aluminum-induced toxicity in mice testis cells

Abstract

To study the qualitative changes in testis tissue after aluminum chloride (AlCl3) administration and to determine whether citric acid (CA) has a protective effect against testis damage induced by AlCl3. In this study, 80 Kunming white mice were randomly separated into eight groups: (1) control, (2) CA (120 mg/kg), (3, 4 and 5) AlCl3 (20, 40 and 60 mg/kg), (6, 7 and 8) AlCl3 (20, 40 and 60 mg/kg) plus CA (120 mg/kg). After animals were killed, all testes were histopathologically examined under light microscopy; T-SOD and GSH-Px activities, H2O2 and MDA contents, and Bax and Bcl-2 levels were detected with the corresponding assay kits; DNA fragmentation were electrophoretically examined. Histopathological results indicated that AlCl3 severely damage to mouse testis tissues, however, the protective effects on testes was observed when AlCl3 combined with CA. Biochemical examination suggested that T-SOD and GSH-Px activities significantly decreased (P<0.05) in AlCl3 groups, while remarkably improved in CA+AlCl3 (especially middle and high dose groups) groups; H2O2 and MDA levels in higher-dose AlCl3 groups were obviously higher (P<0.05) than in CA+ corresponding dose AlCl3 groups. Cell apoptosis assays showed that Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in higher-dose AlCl3 groups were higher than CA+ higher-dose AlCl3 groups; and DNA fragmentation in middle-dose AlCl3 groups was much more apparent in CA+ middle-dose AlCl3 groups. It can be concluded that a certain concentration of AlCl3 exerts a reproductive toxicity to mice, and administration of citric acid can reduce the adverse effects of AlCl3 on testis.