Effect of Cd with or without se Supplementation on Spermatogenesis and Semen Quality in the Rooster (Gallus gallus)

Abstract

In human and animals, it has been reported that Cd was linked with a number of health problems including marked damage of testes and fertility reduction. As for the sensitivity of fowl testes to Cd the results published so far differ from those reported in mammalian species. In this experiment, the effect of Cd with and without Se on spermatogenesis and semen quality in the rooster was studied after dietary Cd uptake. Cadmium (Cd) as Cd chloride (CdCl 2 ) and Se (Se) as sodium selenite (Na 2 SeO 3 ) were added to the feed at dosages: group 0control, group 1 -20 mg kg -1 Cd, group 2 -30 mg kg -1 Cd + 4 mg kg -1 Se. The cocks were exposed to Cd for 8 weeks. The structure of seminiferous tubules and boundary tissue, volume of semen, motility, concentration of spermatozoa and total sperm count were evaluated. In groups with 20 mg kg -1 Cd, the disarrangement of germinal epithelium, diminution of spermiocytes, detachment and presence of developing cells in the lumen of seminiferous tubules was observed. Analysis of the semen showed a significant decrease of volume of semen, the total sperm count and motility of spermatozoa (P<0.05). In the group with 30 mg kg -1 Cd and Se supplementation, seminiferous tubules displayed all the developing spermatogenic cells. Local disarrangement and accumulation of germ cells in the luminal space was observed. In semen, a significant increase of volume of semen, motility and total sperm count (P<0.05) was observed. A beneficial effect of Se on the development of spermatogenic cells and on semen quality was observed.

Toxic effects of cadmium on testis of birds and mammals: A review

“…In first experiments with Japanese quail vascular damage was not evident, though the spermatogenic cells did fail to mature (Richardson et al, 1974). In later studies the testicular changes observed in cocks, in many aspects, were similar to those in mammals (Li et al, 2010;Marettová et al, 2013).…”

“…Edema, necrosis and degeneration of seminiferous tubules were frequently reported in fowl (Bokori et al, 1996;Marettová et al, 2013). Spermatogenic cells underwent irreversible degeneration or atrophy in the absence of significant vascular lesions.…”

“…Altered testicular development and testicular morphology, as well as suppression of spermatogenesis was shown also in Peking ducks (Hughes et al, 2000). Spermatocytes displayed morphological characteristics of apoptosis, including chromatin condensation, cell shrinkage and apoptotic body formation in fowl (Li et al, 2010;Marettová et al, 2013). In wild birds the gonads undergo very marked seasonal changes in both their gross morphology and physiology.…”

“…The exposure to Cd induces of decreased measures of reproductive performance including fertility, abnormal embryonic development, prenatal death, and sexual dysfunction. Acute Cd-induced damage to testes manifests itself by hemorrhagic inflammation, degeneration and dysfunction of the organ and morphological changes Yan et al, 1997;Zhou et al, 1999;Waalkes 2000;Marettová et al, 2010Marettová et al, , 2013. Non-toxic dose of Cd alters gene expression in mouse testes (Zhou et al, 2004) and has potent estrogen-and androgen-like activities in vivo and in vitro, by directly binding to estrogen and androgen receptors (Takiguchi and Yoshihara, 2006).…”

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“…The reproduction system of cocks was also affected by Cd toxicity in the study of Li et al (2010), who observed that a high dose of Cd (150 mg of Cd/kg of feed) affected the interstitial oedema and partial loss of spermatogenic cells and the number of apoptotic cells in the testes significantly increased. A more recent study by Marettova et al (2013) indicated that a lower dose of Cd (20 mg of Cd/kg of feed) caused structural changes in the testis and in the qualitative properties of the semen.…”