Toxic effects of mixture of volatile organic compounds on mice testis related enzymes and hormones

Abstract

To evaluate the toxic effects of mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on Mice Testis related enzymes and hormones. After determining the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of VOCs using the acute toxicity test, 40 male clean inbred Kunming mice were assigned to 1/8 LD₅₀ VOCs exposure group, 1/4 LD₅₀ VOCs exposure group, and 1/2 LD₅₀ VOCs exposure group, as well as positive control group with cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg) and negative control group with tea oil, with 8 mice in each group. The mice were intraperitoneally injected with respective agents for 5 days. The levels of testis testosterone, estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone were determined by ELISA. Meanwhile, the activity of testicular marked enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, acid phosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were examined. Compared with the negative control group, the 1/8 LD₅₀ exposure group had a significantly increased testis coefficient (P<0.05). Both the activity of testicular marked enzymes and the levels of testicular sex hormones in all exposure groups showed significant downward trends with increasing VOC doses compared with those in the negative control group (P<0.05). VOCs have obvious toxicity to mouse testis by changing the levels of testicular sex hormones and the activity of testicular marked enzymes.