Owumi Solomon, Ishaya Japheth A, Chimezie Joseph, Nnamdi Mark, Chibuzor Jesse, Joel Favour O, Babalola Jesutosin O
Cancer Research and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, 200005, Nigeria.
Endocrinology and Metabolic Laboratories, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Mycotoxin Res. 2025 Jul 16. doi: 10.1007/s12550-025-00600-6.
Reproductive dysfunction is a recognised adverse effect of exposure to aflatoxin B (AFB) in humans and animals. Despite the widely acknowledged health risks, exposure to AFB remains unavoidable. Conversely, lutein (LUT) and zeaxanthin (ZEA) are plants' potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, exhibiting promising potential for modulating inflammatory and apoptotic signalling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the effects of co-treatment with LUT/ZEA on reproductive function in rats intoxicated with AFB. The study utilised male Wistar rats (n = 20 and n = 4 per cohort). The experimental groups included untreated controls, AFB (75 µg/kg), LUT/ZEA (100 mg/kg), and AFB combined with LUT/ZEA at two different doses (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg). Treatments were administered via oral gavage for 28 consecutive days. On day 29, serum samples were collected for testicular function and hormonal assays; sperm analysis was performed; and the testes, epididymis, and brain tissues were harvested for biochemical examinations. In the AFB-only treated rats, there was a reduction in sperm motility, viability, and count, along with an increase in abnormal sperm morphology. The AFB group exhibited hormonal dysfunction and showed increased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and decreased acid phosphatase (ACP) levels, which were associated with reduced antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH), and total thiols (TSH) in the hypothalamus, epididymis, and testes, as well as elevated oxido-inflammatory mediators xanthine oxidase (XO), nitric oxide (NO), and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Additionally, there were changes in testicular tumour suppressor markers (p53), pro-apoptotic factors Bcl-2-associated X-protein (BAX; BAX/Bcl-2 ratio), and a reduction in anti-apoptotic biomarkers B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Co-treatment with LUT/ZEA alleviated the toxic effects of AFB, leading to improved hormonal and testicular function, enhanced antioxidant activity, and decreased levels of oxido-inflammatory mediators and apoptosis. LUT/ZEA corrected AFB-induced testicular dysfunction through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic, and anti-apoptotic properties, thereby effectively preserving testicular function and preventing testicular cell death.
生殖功能障碍是人类和动物接触黄曲霉毒素B（AFB）后公认的一种不良反应。尽管黄曲霉毒素B对健康的危害已得到广泛认可，但接触该毒素仍难以避免。相反，叶黄素（LUT）和玉米黄质（ZEA）是植物中具有强大抗氧化和抗炎作用的物质，在调节炎症和凋亡信号通路方面展现出了巨大潜力。本研究旨在探讨LUT/ZEA联合处理对AFB中毒大鼠生殖功能的影响。该研究使用了雄性Wistar大鼠（每组n = 20只，每个亚组n = 4只）。实验组包括未处理的对照组、AFB组（75 μg/kg）、LUT/ZEA组（100 mg/kg），以及AFB与两种不同剂量（100 mg/kg和200 mg/kg）的LUT/ZEA联合处理组。连续28天通过灌胃方式给药。在第29天，采集血清样本进行睾丸功能和激素检测；进行精子分析；并采集睾丸、附睾和脑组织进行生化检查。在仅接受AFB处理的大鼠中，精子活力、存活率和数量下降，异常精子形态增加。AFB组出现激素功能障碍，血清碱性磷酸酶（ALP）、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）水平升高，酸性磷酸酶（ACP）水平降低，这与下丘脑、附睾和睾丸中抗氧化剂超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPx）、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶（GST）、谷胱甘肽（GSH）和总硫醇（TSH）减少，以及氧化炎症介质黄嘌呤氧化酶（XO）、一氧化氮（NO）和髓过氧化物酶（MPO）升高有关。此外，睾丸肿瘤抑制标志物（p53）、促凋亡因子Bcl-2相关X蛋白（BAX；BAX/Bcl-2比值）发生变化，抗凋亡生物标志物B细胞淋巴瘤2（Bcl-2）减少。LUT/ZEA联合处理减轻了AFB的毒性作用，使激素和睾丸功能得到改善，抗氧化活性增强，氧化炎症介质和凋亡水平降低。LUT/ZEA通过其抗氧化、抗炎、促凋亡和抗凋亡特性纠正了AFB诱导的睾丸功能障碍，从而有效保护睾丸功能并防止睾丸细胞死亡。
