Effects of diallyl sulfide and zinc on testicular steroidogenesis in cadmium‐treated male rats

Cadmium is an endocrine disruptor, impairing male reproduction. The objective of this study is to investigate whether cadmium affects rat Leydig cell regeneration and to dissect the underlying mechanism. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of 0, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg of cadmium chloride, followed by ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS) treatment to eliminate adult Leydig cells 20 days later. Compared to control (0 dose), cadmium treatment reduced serum testosterone levels by days 21, 35, and 56 after EDS treatment. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were also affected by day 56, the only time point examined. There were fewer regenerated Leydig cells in the cadmium-treated testis on days 35 and 56 after EDS treatment. Further studies demonstrated that the mRNA or protein levels of Leydig (Lhcgr, Scarb1, Star, Cyp11a1, Hsd3b1, Cyp17a1, Hsd17b3, and Hsd11b1), non-Leydig (Fshr and Dhh), and gonadotroph (Lhb) cells were also significantly lower in cadmium-treated animals. Since LH and desert hedgehog (DHH) are critical factors for Leydig cell differentiation, our result demonstrated that the lower doses of cadmium exposure, even briefly, may permanently damage Leydig cell regeneration.

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“…Cadmium also caused a dose-dependent decrease of testis weight. These results are in consistent with those observed in a previous study 2 .…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 94%

A brief exposure to cadmium impairs Leydig cell regeneration in the adult rat testis

Guo

Wang

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…Peroxidative damage causes reduction in testicular function, which was reflected by significant reduction in functional markers such as LDH and ALP. These findings are in consistent with earlier report by Sadik[25] who observed a decrease in body weight, paired testicular weight and relative testicular weight, along with lowered antioxidant capacity and functional enzymes, viz. LDH and ALP in testicular tissue.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Protective effect of an aphrodisiac herb Tribulus terrestris Linn on cadmium-induced testicular damage

Rajendar

Bharavi²,

Rao

et al. 2011

Indian J Pharmacol

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Aim:The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Tribulus terrestris Linn (TT) could protect the cadmium (Cd)-induced testicular tissue peroxidation in rats and to explore the underlying mechanism of the same.Materials and Methods:In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to know the protective effect of ethanolic extract of TT (eTT) in Cd toxicity. In in vitro studies, total antioxidant and ferrous metal ion chelating activity of TT was studied. In vivo studies were conducted in rats. A total of 40 Wistar strain adult male rats were divided into four groups. Group 1 served as control, while group 2 to 4 received CdCl2 (3 mg/kg b. wt. s/c once a week). In addition to Cd, group 3 and 4 rats also received eTT (5 mg/kg b.wt. daily as oral gavage) and α-tocopherol (75 mg/kg daily by oral gavage), respectively. At the end of 6th week, all the rats were sacrificed and the separated testes were weighted and processed for estimation of tissue peroxidation markers, antioxidant markers, functional markers, and Cd concentration. The testes were also subjected to histopathological screening.Results:In in vitro studies, the percentage of metal ion chelating activity of 50 μg/ml of eTT and α-tocopherol were 2.76 and 9.39, respectively, and the antioxidant capacity of eTT was equivalent to 0.063 μg of α-tocopherol/μg of eTT. In in vivo studies, administration of Cd significantly reduced the absolute and relative testicular weight, antioxidant markers such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and functional markers such as LDH and ALP, along with significant increase in peroxidation markers such as malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls in testicular tissue. Testes of Cd only-treated group showed histological insults like necrotic changes in seminiferous tubules and interstitium, shrunken tubules with desquamated basal lamina, vacuolization and destruction of sertoli cells, and degenerating Leydig cells. This group also had higher Cd levels in testicular tissue. Co-treatment with eTT and α-tocopherol significantly reduced the Cd burden in the testes along with reversal of the Cd-induced changes.Conclusions:eTT exhibited protective effect against Cd-induced testicular damage. The protective effect appears to be mediated through inhibition of testicular tissue peroxidation by antioxidant and metal chelator activity and also, may be indirectly by stimulating the testosterone production from Leydig cells.

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“…A number of studies have demonstrated that the protective effect of S-allylcysteine (aged garlic extract) and garlic extract on CP toxicity is associated with preventing a rise in LPO and preserving antioxidant enzyme activities [9,40]. Additionally, garlic and organosulfur compounds from garlic have the cytoprotective and antioxidant activity against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats [41,42]. Therefore, it is considered that the protective effects observed in this study may have resulted from the antioxidant activity of DADS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protective effect of diallyl disulfide on cyclophosphamide-induced testicular toxicity in rats

et al. 2013

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This study investigated the protective effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular toxicity in male rats. DADS was gavaged to rats once daily for 3 days at 100 mg/kg/day. One hour after the final DADS treatment, the rats were given a single intraperitoneal dose of 150 mg/kg CP. All rats were killed and necropsied on day 56 after CP treatment. Parameters of testicular toxicity included reproductive organ weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility and morphology, epididymal index, and histopathologic examinations. The CP treatment caused a decrease in body weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index. The histopathological examination revealed various morphological alterations, characterized by degeneration of spermatogonia/spermatocytes, vacuolization, and decreased number of spermatids/spermatocytes in the testis, and cell debris and mild oligospermia in the ductus epididymis. In contrast, DADS pretreatment effectively attenuated the testicular toxicity caused by CP, including decreased sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index and increased histopathological alterations in the testis and epididymis. These results indicate that DADS attenuates testicular toxicity induced by CP in rats.

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Effects of diallyl sulfide and zinc on testicular steroidogenesis in cadmium‐treated male rats

Cited by 78 publications

References 69 publications

A brief exposure to cadmium impairs Leydig cell regeneration in the adult rat testis

A brief exposure to cadmium impairs Leydig cell regeneration in the adult rat testis

Protective effect of an aphrodisiac herb Tribulus terrestris Linn on cadmium-induced testicular damage

Protective effect of diallyl disulfide on cyclophosphamide-induced testicular toxicity in rats

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