Dietary Egg White Hydrolysate Prevents Male Reproductive Dysfunction after Long-Term Exposure to Aluminum in Rats

Abstract

Aluminum (Al) is a non-essential metal omnipresent in human life and is considered an environmental toxicant. Al increases reactive oxygen production and triggers immune responses, contributing to chronic systemic inflammation development. Here, we have tested whether an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with potential bioactive properties can protect against changes in reproductive function in rats exposed to long-term Al dietary levels at high and low doses. Male Wistar rats received orally: low aluminum level group—AlCl3 at 8.3 mg/kg b.w. for 60 days with or without EWH (1 g/kg/day); high aluminum level group—AlCl3 at 100 mg/kg b.w. for 42 days with or without EWH (1 g/kg/day). The co-administration of EWH prevented the increased Al deposition surrounding the germinative cells, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the reproductive organs. Furthermore, the daily supplementation with EWH maintained sperm production and sperm quality similar to those found in control animals, even after Al exposure at a high dietary contamination level. Altogether, our results suggest that EWH could be used as a protective agent against impairment in the reproductive system produced after long-term exposure to Al at low or high human dietary levels.

Effect of Sempervivum tectorum Extract on Some Biomarkers of Reproductive Function and Levels of Some Trace Elements in Male Rats Exposed to Aluminum

“…A substantial body of research [3,[7][8][9]11,17,27,32,36,[38][39][40][41][42][43] has highlighted a significant increase in aluminum (Al) levels in the testes, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and bulbo-urethral glands compared to control groups, supporting our findings. However, it is important to note that we did not find studies assessing Al levels in sexual accessory glands for comparison.…”

“…However, Martinez et al [40] indicated that while Al impaired testis histology, it did not affect epididymis structure. Their study also noted alterations in body mass, genital organ weight, and sexual accessory gland weight in rats receiving AlCl3 at 100 mg/kg.BW for 60 days.…”

The Effect of Sempervivum tectorum Extract on Some Biomarkers of Reproductive Function and Levels of Some Trace Elements in Male Rats Exposed to Aluminum

“…A substantial body of research [3,[7][8][9]11,17,27,32,36,[38][39][40][41][42][43] has highlighted a significant increase in aluminum (Al) levels in the testes, epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and bulbo-urethral glands compared to control groups, supporting our findings. However, it's important to note that we did not find studies assessing Al levels in sexual accessory glands for comparison.…”