Reproductive toxicity in male mice after exposure to high molybdenum and low copper concentrations

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of dietary high molybdenum (HMo) and low copper (LCu) concentrations on reproductive toxicity of male mice, 80 mice were divided into 4 groups of 20. These groups were fed with the following: (1) normal control (NC) diet (NC group); (2) NC and HMo diets (HMo group); (3) LCu diet (LCu group); and (4) HMo and LCu diets (HMoLCu group). On the 50th and 100th day, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were analyzed to determine oxidative stress states. Morphological changes in testicular tissue were evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin staining and ultrastructural changes were monitored by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that administration of HMo, LCu, and HMoLCu not only decreased sperm density and motility but also increased the rate of teratosperm occurrence. A significant increase in MDA content and a decrease in SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC contents were observed in LCu, HMo, and HMoLCu groups. Testicular tissues and cells of mice were damaged by HMo and the damages were more serious in the case of Cu deficiency. Exposure to HMo adversely affected the reproductive system of male mice, and dietary LCu plays key roles in HMo-induced reproductive toxicity.

The Role of Fe, Zn, and Cu in Pregnancy

“…Cu deficiency is rare due to the high availability of this element in food [170]. Cu deficiency may lead to pancytopenia and the occurrence of hypodermic anemia which does not respond to the administration of Fe [171,172], loss of appetite [173], damage to internal organs [174,175], bone deformities [176], reduced reproductive capacity [177], myocardial fibrosis [178,179], and chronic debilitating diarrhea [180]. It may lead to neurological disorders, and hair depigmentation [181,182].…”

Mineral Elements in the Raw Milk of Several Dairy Farms in the Province of Alberta

“…Lower concentrations of this mineral in the milk can be considered an advantage of the Alberta milk, since a glass of milk provides less than 20% of its RDI. Due to negative implication of excessive intakes of Mo on reproductive functions of males [36,37], lower amounts of Mo in the Alberta raw milk make it a safe product to consume [38].…”

Histological alterations, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response in the liver of swamp eel (Monopterus albus) acutely exposed to copper

“…Atli et al (2006) demonstrated that Cu accumulation causes an increase in ROS, leading to oxidative stress in fish. ROS are composed of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anions, and their byproducts, which can cause toxicity, including lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, and protein oxidation (Wang et al 2016). MDA, the stable metabolite of lipid peroxidation, is considered a reliable parameter that reflects the increase in ROS, and an increase in the level of MDA is related to oxidative damage (Zhao et al 2020).…”