Utilization of a Computer-Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis System to Examine Effects of Dinoseb on Rat Sperm.

Abstract

Abstract. The computer-assisted sperm motion analysis (CASA) system has been used as one of the useful means for reproductive toxicity studies in male animals. Since various parameters of sperm motility are measured by the CASA system, we investigated the effects of a herbicide dinoseb, a testicular toxicant, and which parameter was the most appropriate for detecting changes. Crj:CD(SD)IGS mature male rats were administered dinoseb at a dose of 0 (corn oil), 5 or 7.5 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days, and were necropsied for cauda epididymal sperm analysis after a 12-day (Day15) or 19-day (Day 22) withdrawal period (Experiment I). No sperm motility parameters of dinoseb-treated rats were changed on Day 15, but on Day 22, the percentage of motile sperm (MOT) was significantly decreased in rats treated with dinoseb at 7.5 mg/kg. Other parameters, such as path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) were significantly decreased as well. In Experiment II, no parameters of sperm motility showed any change in rats treated with dinoseb at 7.5 mg/kg three times per week when evaluated on Day 21. It was concluded that MOT, VAP, VCL, and ALH were more sensitive to dinoseb effects on sperm in the CASA system.

Overview of studies on rat sperm motion analysis using a Hamilton-Thorne sperm analyzer. Collaborative working study.

“…The effects of -chlorohydrin on male fertility were directly related to decrease in the sperm velocity and % motile sperm parameters (Kato et al, 1999). The % motile sperm, VAP, VCL, and ALH parameters were more sensitive for evaluating dinoseb effects on sperm motion, and decreases in these parameters might affect male fertility (Sato et al, 2000). These considerations suggest that the % motile sperm and sperm velocity parameters can be important indicators for assessment of male fertility.…”

“…This report was compiled from studies on adriamycin (Kato et al, 2001), -chlorohydrin (Fukunishi et al, 1998;Ikegawa et al, 1997;Kato et al, 1999), cyclophosphamide (Higuchi et al, 2001), ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (Horimoto et al, 2000a), dinoseb (Sato et al, 2000), 2,5-hexanedione (Horimoto et al, 2000a), sulfasalazine (Horimoto et al, 2000a), trimethyl phosphate (Fukunishi et al, 1999), and ornidazole (Horimoto et al, 2000b).…”

A Comparative Study of Puberty, and Plasma Gonadotropin and Testicular Hormone Levels in Two Inbred Strains of Hatano Rats.

“…The right caudal epididymis in males at 49, 56, and 63 days of age and males at 12 and 15 weeks of age were weighed and homogenized in distilled water by sonication for assessment of the total sperm concentration [15]. The right testis obtained from peripubertal rats (49 and 56 days of age, and 12 weeks of age) were used for the testicular sperm head counts.…”

Differences in Sperm Motion Between High‐ and Low‐Shuttlebox Avoidance Rats (Hatano Strains)

“…Before experimentation, animals were anesthetized using sodium pentobarbital and killed by exsanguination. Sperm were collected as previously described by Sato et al (2000) via micropuncture of the distal cauda epididymides. The retrieved luminal contents were dispersed in prewarmed (38ЊC) Medium 199 with Hanks salts (Gibco, Grand Island, NY) containing 0.5% bovine serum albumin (Intergen, Purchase, NY) placed on a heating plate at 38ЊC, before being analyzed for sperm motion.…”

“…The optics were set using a 4ϫ objective in the dark field, and the stage in the CASA system was set at 37ЊC. Details of other settings for the CASA system were described by Sato et al (2000).…”