Early effects of gossypol on the testis and epididymis in the rat

Abstract

Summary. In a previous study we showed that the administration of gossypol to rats for 34 days caused 2 types of modification of the epididymis : (1 ) the secretion of carnitine and inositol were reduced in the fluid, (2) the spermatozoa lost their motility and showed major morphological changes (head-flagella dissociation). We wished to clarify the early effects of gossypol on the epididymis. Sprague Dawley adult rats (350 g) were forced fed with gossypol at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day for 17 days. After sacrifice, the motility of spermatozoa from the cauda of the epididymis was measured and the morphology of spermatozoa from the caput of the epidydimis quantified following electron microscopic examination. Carnitine, inositol and potassium were assayed in the epididymal fluid. No abnormalities of spermatozoa (motility, count, morphology, ultrastructural examination) were observed in the cauda of the epididymis. In contrast, a high percentage (63 %) of spermatozoa from the caput of the epididymis were altered (vacuolization and lysis of mitochondria). Biochemical analysis of the fluid revealed no differences between treated animals and controls.Thus it appeared therefore, that after 17 days of gossypol administration, the only abnormality detected in the epididymis involved the spermatozoa from the caput. It is therefore probable that the motility disorders seen in spermatozoa from the cauda of the epididymis at 34 days cannot be explained by alterations of the secretion of fluid but rather by earlier direct lesions of testicular spermatids and/or of spermatozoa from the caput of the epididymis.Introduction.

Zero-Order Release of Gossypol Improves Its Antifertility Effect and Reduces Its Side Effects Simultaneously

“…To check the antifertility effects of the released drug, the animals were sacrificed 4 days after the plasma gossypol concentration dropped to zero. The weights of testis and epididymis and the motility of spermatozoa from the cauda of the epididymis were measured . Compared to the control group, a ∼7.5, 14, and 26% decrease in testis weight, and a ∼16, 18, and 26% decrease in epididymal weight were observed for rats implanted with 10, 20, and 30-bilayer PEG/gossypol films, respectively.…”

Gossypol-induced modifications in the microenvironment of rat epididymal spermatozoa

“…This transformation is correlated with the acquisition of motility by the spermatozoa (Jeulin et al, 1987). It has been demonstrated that, even though the epithelial cells capture and concentrate carnitine, the passage of carnitine into the spermatozoa appears to occur by passive diffusion (Jeulin et al, 1987 (Hoffer, 1983;Radigue et al, 1988). Furthermore, it is probable that this mitochondrial lesion makes the spermatozoa incapable of creating the acetyl radicals necessary for the synthesis of acetylcarnitine.…”

Sperm conjugation in mammal reproductive function: Different names for the same phenomenon?

“…Sperm conjugating into pairs, bundles, or rouleaux is generally accepted in the literature for many mammals—except within the Rodentia order, suborder Myomorpha; specifically in the Muridae family. The first studies reporting sperm conjugation were conducted by Fornes and Burgos (, ): These authors obtained samples of epididymal content by puncturing the epididymis of the rat, Rattus norvegicus , at different regions, and placed each onto a small drop of balanced salt solution (Radigue et al, ). Samples from the caput and corpus showed individual sperm with a circular movement (caput) or circular and progressive motility (proximal corpus).…”