J Korean Med Sci.  2006 Jun;21(3):445-451. 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.3.445.

Effects of alpha-Tocopherol on Cadmium-Induced Toxicity in Rat Testis and Spermatogenesis

• Yang HS
• Han DK
• Kim JR
• Sim JC

• KMID: 1778426
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2006.21.3.445

Abstract

Cadmium is known to exert toxic effects on multiple organs, including the testes. To determine if alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant, could protect testicular tissues and spermatogenesis from the toxic effects of cadmium, six-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive cadmium at doses of 0 (control), 1, 2, 4 or 8 mg/kg by the intraperitoneal route (Group A) or alpha-tocopherol for 5 days before being challenged with cadmium (Group B) in an identical dose-dependent manner. When both groups received cadmium at 1 mg/kg, there were no changes in testicular histology relative to controls. When Group A received cadmium at 2 mg/kg, undifferentiated spermatids and dead Sertoli cells increased in the seminiferous tubules while interstitial cells decreased and inflammatory cells increased in the interstitial tissues. On flow cytometric analysis, the numbers of elongated spermatids (M1) and round spermatids (M2) decreased while 2c stage cells (M3, diploid) increased. In contrast, when Group B received cadmium at 2 mg/kg, the histological insults were reduced and the distribution of the germ cell population remained comparable to controls. However, alpha-tocopherol had no protective effects with higher cadmium doses of 4 and 8 mg/kg. These findings indicate that alpha-tocopherol treatment can protect testicular tissue and preserve spermatogenesis from the detrimental effects of cadmium but its effectiveness is dependent on the dose of cadmium exposed.

Keyword

Cadmium; alpha-Tocopherol; Testis; Spermatogenesis; Flow Cytometry

MeSH Terms

alpha-Tocopherol/*pharmacology
Testis/*drug effects/pathology
Spermatogenesis/*drug effects
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Rats
Male
Inflammation
Flow Cytometry
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Cadmium Poisoning/*pathology
Cadmium/metabolism/*pharmacology
Antioxidants/pharmacology
Animals

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Histology of the rat testis and the effects of α-tocopherol : Most seminiferous tubules are well preserved in controls (A). Rats treated with cadmium 1 mg/kg (B) exhibit diffuse or focal necrosis. In rat treated with cadmium 2 mg/kg and some of the immature spermatocytes appear hypertrophic, multinucleated or degenerated (C). In contrast, most tubules are relatively well preserved in rats receiving α-tocopherol in addition to cadmium 2 mg/kg (D). Most of cells in seminiferous tubules are degenerated. Noted loss of head of spermatid and only remains of tails (D inset). (Spermatids and giant cells are indicated by small arrows and arrow heads respectively; H&E staining, ×100).

• 

  Fig. 2 Histology of the testis in rats treated with cadmium 4 mg/kg: diffuse and marked ischemic necrosis of testis (A); necrosis of all seminiferous tubules and relatively well-preserved interstitial tissues with some inflammatory cells infiltrates (B). (H&E staining, ×400).

• 

  Fig. 3 DNA histograms of testicular cell suspension from flow cytometric analysis in rats receiving cadmium 0 mg/kg (A), 1 mg/kg (B) and 2 mg/kg (C). Disclosea peaks are for haploid elongated spermatid (M1), haploid round spermatid (M2), diploid germ cells and non-germ cells (M3), tetraploid germ cells (M5). Corresponding histograms for rats receiving α-tocopherol in addition are show in (D), (E) and (F).

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