Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Botucatu/SP, Brazil. dani
Reprod Toxicol. 2011 May;31(4):431-9. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.01.002. Epub 2011 Jan 22.
In this study we investigated the effects of subacute exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) on male reproductive functions in rats by means of determination of alterations in structural and functional parameters. Adult male Wistar rats received 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg/body weight/day orally, daily MeHg for 14 days. Sperm motility, the relative sperm count and transit time in the caput/corpus epididymis, were all reduced at all doses. The lowest dose increased the number of sperm head abnormalities; daily sperm production was elevated at the intermediate dose; while at the highest dose there was a decrease in serum testosterone levels and a rise in mercury (Hg) content in reproductive organs, liver and kidneys. In conclusion, MeHg exposure produced damages on male reproductive functions which may be attributed, at least in part, to the reduction in serum testosterone levels. These consequences could potentially result in infertility in rats.
在这项研究中，我们通过测定结构和功能参数的变化，研究了亚急性甲基汞（MeHg）暴露对雄性大鼠生殖功能的影响。成年雄性 Wistar 大鼠经口给予 0、0.5、1.0 或 3.0mg/kg/体重/天的 MeHg，连续 14 天。所有剂量组的精子运动能力、相对精子计数和附睾头/体的转运时间均降低。最低剂量组精子头部畸形数增加；中间剂量组每日精子生成增加；而在最高剂量组，血清睾酮水平降低，生殖器官、肝脏和肾脏中的汞（Hg）含量升高。总之，MeHg 暴露对雄性生殖功能造成损害，这至少部分归因于血清睾酮水平降低。这些后果可能导致大鼠不育。
