Ahbab Müfide Aydoğan, Barlas Nurhayat, Karabulut Gözde
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Toxicol Ind Health. 2017 Feb;33(2):133-146. doi: 10.1177/0748233715603847. Epub 2016 Jul 10.
The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the individual adverse effects of bisphenol A (BPA) and octylphenol (OP) on the reproductive system of prepubertal male rats. Rats were exposed to BPA and OP at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg/day, by gavage, for 90 days. At the end of the study, the testes, epididymis, prostate gland, and seminal vesicle were removed and examined histopathologically. Also, 3-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expressions were analyzed and serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were measured. Sperm head count of caput epididymis was performed using a hemocytometer. Seminiferous and epididymal round tubules were evaluated for tubule diameter, lumen diameter, and height of tubule epithelium. There were significant increases in relative testes weights in BPA125, OP125, and OP250 groups compared with the control. Atrophic tubules, pyknotic tubules, combined tubules, congestion, vacuolization of Sertoli cell, cell debris in the lumen, tubules without sperm, and degeneration of tubules were noted in the tissue specimens obtained from the treatment groups compared with the control group. Sperm head counts were decreased in all treatment groups except for the low-dose BPA group. Testosterone (T) levels decreased in the BPA and high-dose OP treatment groups. LH levels increased in BPA treatment groups and the low-dose OP treatment group and decreased in the high-dose OP group. Epithelial height of high-dose BPA and OP treatment groups increased compared with the control group. Furthermore tubular height of low-dose BPA and high-dose OP groups increased with respect to control levels. In the OP250 treatment group, thyroxine hormone level was increased compared to other groups. Also, in the OP125 treatment group, triiodothyronine hormone level was increased compared with other groups. The results of this study showed that BPA and OP affect the steroidogenic enzyme expression and T production in Leydig cells. In conclusion, BPA and OP have adverse effects on the male reproductive system of prepubertal rats.
本研究的目的是评估和比较双酚A（BPA）和辛基酚（OP）对青春期前雄性大鼠生殖系统的个体不良影响。通过灌胃法，以125和250 mg/kg/天的剂量让大鼠接触BPA和OP，持续90天。在研究结束时，取出睾丸、附睾、前列腺和精囊进行组织病理学检查。此外，分析3-β-羟基类固醇脱氢酶的表达，并测量血清睾酮和促黄体生成素（LH）水平。使用血细胞计数器对附睾头的精子头数进行计数。对生精小管和附睾圆形小管的管径、管腔直径和小管上皮高度进行评估。与对照组相比，BPA125、OP125和OP250组的相对睾丸重量显著增加。与对照组相比，从治疗组获得的组织标本中观察到萎缩小管、固缩小管、合并小管、充血、支持细胞空泡化、管腔内细胞碎片、无精子小管和小管变性。除低剂量BPA组外，所有治疗组的精子头数均减少。BPA和高剂量OP治疗组的睾酮（T）水平降低。BPA治疗组和低剂量OP治疗组的LH水平升高，高剂量OP组的LH水平降低。与对照组相比，高剂量BPA和OP治疗组的上皮高度增加。此外，低剂量BPA和高剂量OP组的小管高度相对于对照水平增加。在OP250治疗组中，甲状腺激素水平比其他组升高。此外，在OP125治疗组中，三碘甲状腺原氨酸激素水平比其他组升高。本研究结果表明，BPA和OP影响睾丸间质细胞中类固醇生成酶的表达和T的产生。总之，BPA和OP对青春期前大鼠的雄性生殖系统有不良影响。
