Changes in semen characteristics and sex hormones of rats treated with iron oxide nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles and their mixture
1Ministry of Health, Iraq.
2 Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Egypt.
3 Department of Biochemistry, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt.
4Grand Canyon University and Arizona College. Arizona, USA.
5Center of Research and Educational Studies, Ministry of Education, Iraq.
Research Article
GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2020, 12(02), 229-237.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscbps.2020.12.2.0272
Publication history:
Received on 21 August 2020; revised on 26 August 2020; accepted on 29 August 2020
Abstract:
Few studies have demonstrated the toxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3NPs), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and their combination on reproductive performance.Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the reproductive toxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles and their combination in male rats. Forty Wistar male rats were divided into 4 equal groups. Group 1 served as control, group 2 was administered orally with Fe2O3NPs (5 mg/kg BW; >50 nm), group 3 was treated intraperitoneally with AgNPs (50 mg/kg BW; >100 nm) and group 4 was administered with the mixture of Fe2O3NPs with AgNPs. Animals were treated with doses every day for 79 days. The results revealed that semen parameters (sperm count, abnormal sperm and sperm motility) of adult male rats treated with Fe2O3NPs, AgNPs and their combination showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in sperm motility and sperm count, and significant (P<0.05) induction in abnormal sperm compared to the control group. Results also showed significant (P<0.05) decrease in the levels of testosterone and TSH, and significant (P<0.05) increase in FSH, LH, T3 and T4 levels in rats treated with Fe2O3NPs, AgNPs and their combination compared to the control group. The specific activity of testicular 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) was significantly decreased, while 17-ketosteroid reductase (17-KSR) was significantly increased in animals treated with Fe2O3NPs, AgNPs and their combination compared to the control group. It was concluded that rats exposed to Fe2O3NPs, AgNPs or their combination caused testes inflammation and sex hormones imbalance that affect reproductive performance.
Keywords:
Iron oxide nanoparticles; Silver nanoparticles; Male rats; Semen characteristics; Sex hormones.
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Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0
