Persistent testicular structural and functional alterations after exposure of adult rats to atrazine

Martins-Santos, Elisângela; Pimenta, Cristiano Guimarães; Campos, Pollyana Rabelo Nunes; Franco, Mariana Brandão; Gomes, Dawidson Assis; Mahecha, Germán Arturo Bohórquez; Oliveira, Cleida A.

doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.08.010

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…Validation of the antiaromatase antibody was performed using testis and ovary as positive controls (1,(32)(33)(34) and skeletal muscle tissue as negative controls (32), which were processed in parallel to prostatic tissues (Fig. 1F).…”

Section: Immunohistochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because aromatase expression in the prostate is controversial, the protein content extracted from rat testes was also loaded in assays as a positive control. Previous work, using the same antibody, has demonstrated a single band of 55 kDa for aromatase in the rat testis (33). The proteins (40 mg/lane) were separated by 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane, and immersed for 1 hour in 10% normal goat serum to block nonspecific bindings.…”

Section: Western Blottingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Basal Cells Show Increased Expression of Aromatase and Estrogen Receptor α in Prostate Epithelial Lesions of Male Aging Rats

et al. 2017

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Besides androgens, estrogen signaling plays a key role in normal development and pathologies of the prostate. Irreversible synthesis of estrogens from androgens is catalyzed by aromatase. Interestingly, animals lacking aromatase do not develop cancer or prostatitis, whereas those with overexpression of aromatase and, consequently, high estrogen levels develop prostatitis and squamous metaplasia via estrogen receptor 1 (ERα). Even with this evidence, the aromatase expression in the prostate is controversial. Moreover, little is known about the occurrence of age-dependent variation of aromatase and its association with histopathological changes commonly found in advanced age, a knowledge gap that is addressed herein. For this purpose, the immunoexpression of aromatase was evaluated in the prostatic complex of young adult to senile Wistar rats. ERα was also investigated, to extend our understanding of estrogen responsiveness in the prostate. Moderate cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for aromatase was detected in the glandular epithelium. Eventually, some basal cells showed intense staining for aromatase. The expression pattern for aromatase appeared similar in the normal epithelium when young and senile rats were compared; this result was corroborated by Western blotting. Conversely, in senile rats, there was an increase in the frequency of basal cells intensely stained for aromatase, which appeared concentrated in areas of intraepithelial proliferation and prostatitis. These punctual areas also presented increased ERα positivity. Together, these findings suggest a plausible source for hormonal imbalance favoring estrogen production, which, by acting through ERα, may favor the development of prostatic lesions commonly found in advanced age.

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Section: Immunohistochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Western Blottingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basal Cells Show Increased Expression of Aromatase and Estrogen Receptor α in Prostate Epithelial Lesions of Male Aging Rats

et al. 2017

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“…[6] In animals, atrazine reduced epididymal sperm motility and sperm count, elevated the number of defective sperm, decreased sex accessory gland size, and reduced testosterone concentration. [9][10][11][12][13][14] In addition, human studies found a link between atrazine exposure during adulthood and sperm quality in men in the United States. [15,16] In another study, atrazine led to an increased estradiol level, testicular shrinkage, estrogen-mediated toxicity, and aberrant sexual differentiation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atrazine exposure caused oxidative stress in male rats and inhibited brain‐pituitary‐testicular functions

Rotimi,

Ojo,

Adeyemi

2023

J Biochem & Molecular Tox

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Exposure to the herbicide atrazine has been shown to have deleterious effects on human and animal reproduction. To determine whether atrazine influences the brain‐pituitary‐testicular axis directly or indirectly, the present study examined the toxic effects of atrazine on fertility potential by assessing gonadal hormones, testicular function indices, sperm quality, and oxido‐inflammatory markers in rats. Twelve animals were grouped into two groups; control and atrazine. The control group received oral administration of olive oil (2 mL/kg), while the atrazine group received 120 mg/kg of atrazine. Treatments were daily and lasted for 7 days. Upon treatment cessation, rats were necropsied for biochemical and histopathological analyses. The biochemical function indices in the rat brain, testis, and epididymis decreased significantly in the atrazine group. Atrazine exposure led to decreases in gonadal hormonal concentrations, semen quality parameters, and testicular function indices compared with the control. Furthermore, there was a marked increase in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers as well as degeneration of the histo‐architecture in atrazine‐treated rats. Overall, atrazine exposure impaired sperm quality, led to increased inflammation and oxidative stress, and decreased the activity of the brain‐pituitary‐testicular axis via endocrine disruption.

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“…The findings of other studies on ATZ exposure in rodents also correspond with our results. [6,11,38] The protective effects of testosterone on germ cell number, seminiferous tubule diameter and length, and epithelial height were also observed after testosterone coadministration, supporting the beneficial effect of exogenous testosterone in the ATZ model of testicular injury. Testosterone exerts protective effects in several chemical models of testicular injuries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…ATZ damages Sertoli and Leydig cells, induces degenerative changes in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells, causes morphological changes in the testes, disrupts germ cell development, decreases spermatogenesis, depletes testicular antioxidants, and increases lipid peroxidation. [ 6,7 ] One of the most established mechanisms of ATZ toxicity in rodents is the inhibition of testosterone signaling in Leydig cells, causing a decrease in serum and intratesticular testosterone levels. [ 8 ] ATZ inhibits the secretion of testosterone from Leydig cells and reduces the number of 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase immunopositive Leydig cells responsible for the synthesis of testosterone.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testosterone restores TM3 and TM4 cell viability, reduces reactive oxygen species generation, and protects against atrazine‐induced stereological changes in rat testes

Mgbudom‐Okah,

Abarikwu,

Wegwu

et al. 2023

J Biochem & Molecular Tox

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In this study, we performed the stereological examination of rat testes and evaluated the protective effect of testosterone against atrazine (ATZ) toxicity in TM3 Leydig and TM4 Sertoli cells. Testosterone intake in rats increased the volumetric density of the seminiferous tubules; tubular diameter; germinal epithelial height; number of spermatogonia, primary and secondary spermatocytes, round spermatids, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells; and Johnsen scores compared with the values after ATZ treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, testosterone increased the viability of TM3 cells and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in TM4 cells compared to the ATZ‐treated group. In conclusion, exogenous testosterone intake maintains testicular morphometry and spermatogenesis in rats, and minimizes cell death and ROS generation in testicular cell lines exposed to ATZ. However, TM4 cells are more responsive to testosterone‐mediated regulation of ROS generation induced by ATZ than TM3 cells.

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Persistent testicular structural and functional alterations after exposure of adult rats to atrazine

Cited by 16 publications

References 82 publications

Basal Cells Show Increased Expression of Aromatase and Estrogen Receptor α in Prostate Epithelial Lesions of Male Aging Rats

Basal Cells Show Increased Expression of Aromatase and Estrogen Receptor α in Prostate Epithelial Lesions of Male Aging Rats

Atrazine exposure caused oxidative stress in male rats and inhibited brain‐pituitary‐testicular functions

Testosterone restores TM3 and TM4 cell viability, reduces reactive oxygen species generation, and protects against atrazine‐induced stereological changes in rat testes

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