Effects of ethanol ingestion on epididymal glycosidases and fertility in the rat

Abstract

Epididymal glycosidases play a role in sperm maturation by modifying sperm surface glycoproteins. To study the effects of ethanol on epididymal sperm maturation, ethanol (3 g/kg body weight as 25%, v/v) was administered to a group of rats by gastric-intubation twice daily for 30 days. In another group, rats were also treated with alcohol for 30 days but were then withdrawn from treatment for 30 days to assess the reversibility of ethanol-induced effects. Ethanol-induced changes in epididymal tissue and sperm glycosidases, cauda epididymal sperm motility and the fertility of rats were assessed. Ethanol treatment caused a marked decrease in the specific activities of glycosidases in both tissues and spermatozoa from epididymal segments. Cauda epididymal sperm motility and the fertility of ethanol-treated rats were significantly impaired compared to control rats fed an isocaloric diet. These changes are likely to be the consequence of direct and indirect effects of ethanol mediated through subnormal testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Most of these changes were found to be reversible. The present study suggests that impaired activity of sperm glycosidases may be one of the factors responsible for defective sperm motility and fertilizing potential in ethanol-treated rats.

Chemistry and applications of organotin(iv) complexes of Schiff bases

“…145 These results may also be correlated with the well-known fact that sulfur-containing compounds produce infertility in male rats. 159 Thus, it can be concluded that coordination through sulfur atoms induces the sterilizing activity in the biological systems.…”

Ethanol exposure during peripubertal period increases the mast cell number and impairs meiotic and spermatic parameters in adult male rats

“…This result indicates that ethanol acts on the epididymis and influences the sperm maturation process negatively, and may reduce the fertility of the individual momentarily or persistently. Adult rats exposed to ethanol also showed reduced sperm motility (Siervo et al, 2015;Srikanth et al, 1998).…”

“…In this context, most studies are performed on mature animals (F avaro and Cagnon, 2008;Koh and Kim, 2006;Mesquita et al, 2013;Oliva et al, 2006;Srikanth et al, 1998Srikanth et al, , 1999Zhu et al, 2000). A previous study done by our laboratory (Siervo et al, 2015) with adult rats showed that ethanol 2 g/kg, 25% (v/v) for 30 consecutive days impaired parameters of sperm count, spermatogenic kinetics, lipid peroxidation levels, and sperm motility and morphology, and also caused histopathological damage in the testis and epididymis.…”

The Synergetic Effect of Egyptian Portulaca oleracea L. (Purslane) and Cichorium intybus L. (Chicory) Extracts against Glucocorticoid-Induced Testicular Toxicity in Rats through Attenuation of Oxidative Reactions and Autophagy

“…Moreover, α-mannosidase is implicated as a non-catalytic binding protein during sperm-oocyte interaction. Hence, depleted α-mannosidase activity in spermatozoa may adversely affect spermatozoa maturation and fertilization [ 88 ].…”