Cauda Epididymal Sperm Motility Research Articles

Reproductive Effects of Diethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether in Swiss CD-1 Mice Assessed by a Continuous Breeding Protocol

Reproductive Effects of Diethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether in Swiss CD-I Mice Assessed by a Continuous Breeding Protocol. WILLIAMS, J., REEL, J. R., GEORGE, J. D., AND LAMB, J. C, IV. (1990). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 14, 622–635. Diethylene glycol (DEG) and diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGEE) were evaluated for reproductive toxic-ity in CD-I mice using a continuous breeding protocol. Compounds were administered in the drinking water at 0, 0.35, 1.75, and 3.5% w/v (DEG) or 0, 0.25, 1.25, and 2.5% w/v (DEGEE). Exposure of the breeding pairs to 3.5% DEG for 14 weeks produced statistically significant decreases in the number of litters per pair, live pups per litter, proportion of pups born alive, and live pup weight. There was also a significant increase in the cumulative days to litter and a significant decrease in the number of pairs producing the third, fourth, and fifth litters for the 3.5% DEG-exposed mice. A crossover mating trial of the Fo mice to determine the affected sex was inconclusive, but suggested that offspring development was compromised in females exposed to 3.5% DEG. Slight maternal (Fo) toxicity was noted for the 3.5% DEG group (7% decrease in body weight). The F, generation, at 3.5% DEG, had decreased body weights at birth and exhibited poor postnatal survival. At the intermediate dose of DEG, body weights of both sexes were depressed at weaning, at onset of mating, and at necropsy. However, no adverse effects on reproduction were observed. DEGEE had no effect on reproduction in the Fo or F, generation mice despite a 34% decrease in cauda epididymal sperm motility in the F1 males at 2.5% DEGEE. Other signs of toxicity observed in these F1 mice included increased relative liver weights. These data indicate that DEG is a reproductive toxicant in Swiss mice affecting fertility and reproductive performance, albeit at high doses (equivalent to 6.1 g/kg/day). However, its monoethyl derivative, DEGEE, is without adverse effects on fertility and reproductive performance.

Unilateral depletion of testicular glutathione levels in the rat following intratesticular injections of diethylmaleate and buthionine sulfoximine

A method was developed to selectively deplete glutathione (GSH) in a single rat testis. Using intratesticular injections of a mixture of two GSH-depleting agents, diethylmaleate and buthionine sulfoximine, testicular GSH levels were decreased to 33–54% of control 2 hr after injection and remained suppressed for 24 hr. GSH levels in the contralateral testis and liver were not affected by this treatment. Comparisons between GSH-depleted and vehicle-injected (contralateral) testes, evaluated 2 weeks later, showed that although testis and epididymal weights and cauda epididymal sperm reserves were slightly reduced (to ≥90% of controls), no changes were seen in testicular spermatid counts or in the morphology or motility of cauda epididymal sperm. An increase in histologically abnormal tubules localized to the injection site occurred in some GSH-depleted testes; however, the proportion of normal tubules containing step 19 spermatids was not affected. Thus, intratesticular injections of GSH-depleting agents selectively lowered GSH levels in the treated testis, with minimal adverse effects. This protocol can now be applied to investigate specific roles of GSH in the testes, particularly with regard to the possible modulation of the effects of testicular toxicants.

Antifértility effects of alcoholic seed extract of Abrus precatorius Linn, in male albino rats

Effects of alcoholic seed extract of Abrus precatorius Linn. were investigated at a dose of 100 mg/Kg body wt./day/rat for 60 days on fertility, semen profile and sperm metabolism of orally administered sexually mature male albino rats using WHO protocols. Serum testosterone levels were also measured using RIA technique. The data revealed that the cauda epididymal sperm motility was significantly lowered with no effect in its sperm concentration by 60 days of feeding. The scanning electron microscopic study on sperm morphology exhibited decapitation, acrosomal damage and formation of bulges on midpiece region of sperms in treated rats. The biochemical studies on epididymal spermatozoa indicated alterations in their energy and/or oxidative metabolism as evidenced by a fall in succinate dehydrogenase and ATPase levels by extract allocation. It did not exert any effect in body and organ weights. But an average number of implantation sites in females after mating with the treated male rats markedly declined. Contrarily, a significant increase in serum testosterone levels was noted by 60 days of administration. Thus, the decrease in fertility rate in extract receiving animals is correlated with reduced sperm motility, metabolism and altered sperm morphology in epididymis.

Reproductive tract lesions resulting from subchronic administration (63 days) of tri- o-cresyl phosphate in male rats

An initial dose-range pilot study where animals were gavaged with between 100 and 1600 mg tri- o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP)/kg/day for 14 days resulted in decreased epididymal sperm density and disruption of the seminiferous epithelium in 100% of treated animals. A subchronic 63-day study (reflecting the 49-day length of the rat seminiferous epithelium cycle plus the 14-day transit time of spermatids through the epididymis was initiated. Dose-dependent (10 to 100 mg TOCP/kg/day) decreases in cauda epididymal sperm motility and density, testicular enzyme activities, and alterations in sperm morphology were observed. Concurrent pair-fed controls (matched to the highest dose group, 100 mg TOCP/kg/day) indicated that weight loss resulting from TOCP administration had minimal contributory effects to the testicular toxicity seen. Plasma α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) and testosterone concentrations were unaffected. Tri- p-cresyl phosphate (TPCP), the nonneurotoxic structural analog of TOCP, produced no toxic effects, demonstrating the necessity of the ortho-cresol moiety for induction of damage. A minimum effective (threshold) dose for observable testicular toxicity was determined to be 10–25 mg TOCP/kg in this study. These data suggest that TOCP interferes with spermatogenic processes and sperm motility directly and not via an androgenic mechanism or decreased vitamin E availability.

Toxicologic studies with male sheep grazing on municipal sludge-amended soil.

Growing sheep were grazed for 152 d on grass-legume forage growing on soil that had been amended with municipal sewage sludge from Syracuse, N.Y., at 224 metric tons per hectare. Cadmium was higher, but not significantly (p greater than 0.05), in tissues of sheep fed the sludge-grown forage as compared to controls. No significant differences between the sludge or control treatments were found in weight of the complete or cauda epididymis or in percent progressive motility of cauda epididymal sperm. The sludge-treatment group had significantly larger testes (p less than 0.025) when expressed as a percentage of body weight, and higher blood uric acid values (p less than 0.05). There were no observable changes in tissue ultrastructure of liver, kidney, muscle, or testes as examined by electron microscopy in either of the treatment groups. There were no significant differences for rate of animal weight gain, carcass weight, dressing percentage, or quality or yield grade of the carcases between the treatment groups.

Influence of prepubertal consumption of zearalenone on sexual development of boars.

Littermate pairs of crossbred boars were fed 40 ppm zearalenone from 14 to 18 weeks of age, and the effects on reproductive development were examined. Compared to controls, boars fed zearalenone subsequently had reduced libido scores (P greater than.05), and fewer treated animals exhibited mating behavior. Plasma concentrations of testosterone were depressed (P greater than .05) during consumption of zearalenone. Zearalenone did not significantly affect age at which sperm were first voided in the urine (P greater than .25). Body weight and testicular size were not affected by zearalenone. At 36 weeks of age, testicular weight, epididymal weight, spermatid numbers, motility of cauda epididymal sperm and testicular morphology did not differ between control boars and those that had consumed zearalenone.