Low-dose Nicotine Exposure Induced the Oxidative Damage of Reproductive Organs and Altered the Sperm Characteristics of Adolescent Male Rats

Abstract

Background: Nicotine is a major toxic and hazardous component of cigarette smoke, and it has been widely used in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This study was aimed to investigate the effects of chronic low-dose nicotine on sperm characteristics and reproductive organ integrity in adolescent male Sprague-Dawley rats.Methods: Twelve rats were equally divided into two groups. Group I received normal saline, and group II received 0.6 mg/kg body weight nicotine intraperitoneally for 28 consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, sperm was collected for sperm characteristic evaluation, and the testes and prostate were isolated for biochemical and morphological analysis. The effects of nicotine on the body and reproductive organ weights of the animals were evaluated.Results: Chronic nicotine treatment significantly (P < 0.05) altered the sperm count, motility, viability, and morphology, and remarkably increased the malondialdehyde (P < 0.001) and advanced oxidation protein product (P < 0.05) levels in the testes and prostate of nicotinetreated group compared to control group. Moreover, nicotine caused a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the superoxide dismutase activity of the testes. No significant differences were observed in the reduced glutathione level in both of the testes and prostate of nicotine group compared with control group. Nicotine also induced histopathological alteration in the testes.Conclusion: A low-dose nicotine exposure at 0.6 mg/kg caused detrimental effects on sperm characteristics and induced oxidative stress in the testes and prostate.

Influence of prenatal waterpipe tobacco smoke exposure on reproductive hormones and oxidative stress of adult male offspring rats

“…The presence of a large number of oxidants in the waterpipe smoke disturbs the balance between anti‐oxidants and oxidants resulting in oxidative stress. Previous studies using animal models found that nicotine or cigarette exposure induced oxidative stress in testis (Budin et al, ; Oyeyipo, Raji, & Bolarinwa, ). The increased oxidative stress contributes to the pathological damage to cells and tissues, leading to male infertility (Agarwal, Virk, Ong, & du Plessis, ; Bisht, Faiq, Tolahunase, & Dada, ; Walczak‐Jedrzejowska, Wolski, & Slowikowska‐Hilczer, ).…”

Carob attenuates nicotine‐induced oxidative stress and intratesticular damage in male rats

“…Seminal pathologies may appear as a result of destructive effects of oxidative stress products on sperm membrane and DNA (Azenabor, Ekun, & Akinloye, 2015). Nicotine exposure has been shown to negatively affect sperm count, motility and viability (Budin et al., 2017; Saad et al., 2019). It has been suggested that these effects occur due to the association of nicotine with ROS and lipid peroxidation in the testicle (Aprioku & Ugwu, 2015; Kiziler et al., 2007; Seema, Swathy, & Indira, 2007).…”

The anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrosis properties of swertiamarin in cigarette smoke exposure-induced prostate dysfunction in rats

“…MDA is the product of lipid peroxidation induced by ROS [18]. Studies found that the prostate level of MDA was remarkable elevated and the level of GSH is depleted after CS exposure [6, 19].…”