Co-Administration of Vitamin E and Testosterone Attenuates The Atrazine-Induced Toxic Effects on Sperm Quality and Testes in Rats

Rezaie Agdam, Hamed; Razi, Mazdak; Amniattalab, Amir; Malekinejad, Hassan; Molavi, Morteza

doi:10.22074/cellj.2016.4990

Co-Administration of Vitamin E and Testosterone Attenuates The Atrazine-Induced Toxic Effects on Sperm Quality and Testes in Rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Private Veterinary Practitioner, Urmia, Iran

² Department of Comparative Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia, Iran

³ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran

⁴ 4Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia, Iran

10.22074/cellj.2016.4990

Abstract

Objective
Atrazine (ATZ) as a widely used herbicide is considered as a potent endocrine disrupter which adversely affects reproductive systems in both genders. This study aimed to assess the effects of testosterone (T)- and vitamin E (VitE)- alone and their coadministration on testicular function and sperm parameters after exposure to ATZ in rats.
Materials and Methods
In this experimental study, the rats (n=30) are assigned into the following 5 groups: control-sham group (n=6) receiving corn oil, ATZ group (n=6) receiving 200 mg/kg ATZ alone, ATZ+VitE group (n=6) receiving 150 mg/kg ATZ+VitE, ATZ+T group (n=6) receiving 400 µg/kg ATZ+T, and ATZ+VitE+T group (n=6) receiving ATZ+VitE+T for 48 consecutive days. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol molecules (TTM), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed. Serum levels of T, luteinizing hormone (LH), and inhibin-B (IN-B) were also determined. Histological examination and sperm analysis were performed. The data were analyzed using Graph-Pad Prism software version 2.01.
Results
Co-administration of VitE and T significantly (P < 0.05) increased ATZ-decreased TAC and TTM levels and reduced ATZ-increased MDA content. T and VitE significantly (P < 0.05) increased serum levels of ATZ-reduced T (1.94 ± 0.96), IN-B (122.10 ± 24.33) and LH (0.40 ± 0.10). The T+VitE animals showed a reduction in apoptotic cells and an increase in Leydig cells steroidogenesis. Co-administration of T and VitE significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the ATZ-induced DNA disintegrity and chromatin de-condensation. VitE and T protected germinal cells RNA and protein contents against ATZ-induced damages.
Conclusion
T and VitE in simultaneous form of administration were able to normalize the ATZ-induced derangements through promoting antioxidant capacity and endocrine function.

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