Protocatechuic acid prevents reproductive damage caused by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in male rats

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determinate beneficial effects of protocatechuic acid (PCA) against reproductive toxicity caused by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental contaminant. For this purpose, 28 rats were equally divided into four groups (control, TCDD 2 μg kg(-1) per week, PCA 100 mg kg(-1) per day and TCDD + PCA group), and compounds were orally administered for 45 days. The results indicated that TCDD induced oxidative stress via an increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances levels and a decrease in reduced glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidise and SOD levels in male rats. In contrast, PCA treatment prevented toxic effects of TCDD in terms of oxidative stress. Additionally, sperm motility, sperm concentration and serum testosterone levels significantly decreased, and pathologic testicular damage increased with TCDD exposure. However, these effects of TCDD on sperm characteristics, histopathological changes and hormone levels were reversed by PCA treatment. In conclusion, it was found that TCDD exposure induced reproductive toxicity (oxidative, hormonal, histopathological and spermatological alternations) in male rats and PCA treatment could prevent toxic effects of TCDD. Thus, PCA may be useful for the prevention and treatment of reproductive toxicity caused by TCDD.

Histological and Transcriptomic Changes in Male Zebrafish Testes Due to Early Life Exposure to Low Level 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin

“…Altered germinal epithelium was observed after TCDD exposure in rodent studies. 21,25,26 According to these rodent studies, TCDD's adverse effect on germinal epithelium is dose dependent and concurrent with hypospermatogenesis. This is not surprising because changes to the localized hormonal environment of Sertoli cells, which includes both testosterone and estrogen, can alter cell adhesion within germinal epithelium, notably between Sertoli cells and spermatids.…”

Aminoguanidine prevents testicular damage-induced-2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in male rats

“…Freshly isolated left cauda epididymal tissue was used for the analysis of sperm motility. The percentage sperm motility was evaluated using a light microscope with heated stage (Beytur et al ., ). To determine the percentage of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa, the slides stained with eosin–nigrosin (1.67% eosin, 10% nigrosin and 0.1 m sodium citrate) were prepared.…”

“…TCDD displays a wide spectrum of toxic effects, including dermal toxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, neurobehavioral, endocrine and metabolic alterations (Xu et al ., ; Gan et al ., ; Ciftci et al ., ; Ciftci & Ozdemir, ; Yin et al ., ). Some in vivo indicate that exposure to TCDD causes a variety of adverse effects on the male reproductive system (Hwang et al ., ; Beytur et al ., ). Specifically, TCDD causes inhibition of spermatogenesis, alteration in testicular morphology and decreased testicular and accessory sex organ weight (El‐Sabeawy et al ., ; Ciftci et al ., ).…”

Protective effects of curcumin on antioxidant status, body weight gain, and reproductive parameters in male rats exposed to subchronic 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

“…TCDD exposure can also lead to biochemical and pathological changes within the reproductive systems of male rats (Sonmez et al 2011;Beytur et al 2012). TCDD exposure is known to lead to infertility in humans and animals by increasing tissue damage and oxidative stress in the testis tissue and by adversely affecting sperm characteristics.…”