Combined Effects of Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Benzo(a)Pyrene on Fertility in Male Rats

Abstract

Our previous studies revealed the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and phthalic acid esters were the major organic pollutants in the Jialing River and Yangtze River in the Three Gorges area, and they might cause the toxicity in male fertility when combined. Thus we used di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and Benzo(a)pyrene (Bap) as their representatives respectively to explore their effects on the spermatogenesis in male rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and respectively exposed to corn oil, Bap (5 mg/kg/d), DBP (250 mg/kg/d), and combined doses of Bap (5 mg/kg/d) and DBP (250 mg/kg/d) for 90 days. We observed a significant increase in the stillbirth rate after Bap and combined treatments, while the mean area of seminiferous tubules was reduced after Bap, DBP and combined treatments. Bap and combined treatment had a suppressing effect on meiosis in germ cells, which reduced the haploid contents and the ratio between haploid and diploid but increased the tetraploid and diploid contents and the ratio between haploid and tetraploid. These effects were more obvious in the combined group. Furthermore, the expression of a number of proteins was changed, of which was associated with the oxidative stress and cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Our results suggest that Bap has significant toxic effects on male fertility, while the combined treatment of Bap and DBP has more toxic effects.

Cytogenetic Effect of Di- Butyl Phthalate on Adult Male Albino Rats and The Possible Protective Role of Ginger and Selenium Against This Effect

“…While in coiled tail, co-administration with ginger alone produced better effects than co-administration with Se alone or coadministration with both ginger and Se. The findings of the current study could be explained by Huang et al [27] and Alam & Hoque [9] who reported that, DBP has adverse effects on the reproductive system of male, including disturbing the secretion of testosterone, influencing the production and morphology of sperm and damaging the seminiferous tubule, which may induce through oxidative stress from their ROSmetabolites. Di-butyl phthalate causes atrophy in the seminiferous tubules, decreases SOD and GSH-Px activities and increase catalase activity, which indicates an oxidative stress state in the testis.…”

Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by bacterial mixture

“…Huang et al reported that the toxicity of BaP was more than dibutyl phthalate for male rats' fecundity (Huang et al 2014). Therefore, the toxicity of the metabolite (dibutyl phthalate) of PAHs in the degradation process should be lower than PAHs, which illustrated that biodegradation of PAHs could decrease the toxicity of PAHs.…”