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Background: Some chemotherapeutic agents induce testicular damage, thereby affecting fertility potential. Two metal-based antineoplastic complexes, titanocene dichloride and budotitane, were used to demonstrate their effects on the blood-testis barrier (BTB). Methods: Male mice were treated in vivo with the two titanium compounds and fragments of seminiferous tubules were isolated, closed at both ends, and then incubated in vitro with horseradish peroxidase for 10 and 15 min to test the permeability of the BTB at the ultrastructural level. Results: Titanocene dichloride disrupted the BTB as shown by the presence of the tracer inside the tubules, contrarily to the results obtained from budotitane-administered animals. Conclusions: The toxicity of some metal-based antineoplastic drugs on the BTB may not only affect male reproductive health, but also alert for the possible injury within other biological barriers.

Recently, De Coster and van Larebeke [9] presented an overview of relevant chemicals with endocrine disrupting features, including carbamate pesticides such as chlorpropham, carbaryl, benomyl, methiocarb, pirimicarb, and propamocarb. In this well designed review, authors provided different mechanisms such as the activation of the classical ERα and Erβ nuclear receptors, through estrogen associated receptors, and membrane-bound estrogen-receptors, among others.