• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2023

Objective: Human exposure to multiple xenobiotics, over various developmental windows, results in adverse health effects arising from these concomitant exposures. Humans are widely exposed to bisphenol A, and acetaminophen is the most commonly used over-the-counter drug worldwide. Bisphenol A is a well-recognized male reproductive toxicant, and increasing evidence suggests that acetaminophen is also detrimental to the male reproductive system. The recent recognition of male reproductive system dysfunction in conditions of suboptimal reproductive outcomes makes it crucial to investigate the contributions of toxicant exposures to infertility and sub-fertility. We aimed to identify toxicity in the male reproductive system at the mitochondrial level in response to co-exposure to bisphenol A and acetaminophen, and we investigated whether melatonin ameliorated this toxicity. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n=10 each): a control group and groups that received melatonin, bisphenol A, acetaminophen, bisphenol A and acetaminophen, and bisphenol A and acetaminophen with melatonin treatment. Results: Significantly higher lipid peroxidation was observed in the testicular mitochondria and sperm in the treatment groups than in the control group. Levels of glutathione and the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and manganese superoxide dismutase decreased significantly in response to the toxicant treatments. Likewise, the toxicant treatments significantly decreased the sperm count and motility, while significantly increasing sperm mortality. Melatonin mitigated the adverse effects of bisphenol A and acetaminophen. Conclusion: Co-exposure to bisphenol A and acetaminophen elevated oxidative stress in the testicular mitochondria, and this effect was alleviated by melatonin.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.230-243
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• 2023

Objective: High temperatures can trigger cellular oxidative stress and disrupt spermatogenesis, potentially leading to male infertility. We investigated the effects of retinoic acid (RA), chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs), and retinoic acid loaded with chitosan nanoparticles (RACHNPs) on spermatogenesis in mice induced by scrotal hyperthermia (Hyp). Methods: Thirty mice (weighing 25 to 30 g) were divided into five experimental groups of six mice each. The groups were as follows: control, Hyp induced by a water bath (43 ℃C for 30 minutes/day for 5 weeks), Hyp+RA (2 mg/kg/day), Hyp+CHNPs (2 mg/kg/72 hours), and Hyp+RACHNPs (4 mg/kg/72 hours). The mice were treated for 35 days. After the experimental treatments, the animals were euthanized. Sperm samples were collected for analysis of sperm parameters, and blood serum was isolated for testosterone measurement. Testis samples were also collected for histopathology assessment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) evaluation, and RNA extraction, which was done to compare the expression levels of the bax, bcl2, p53, Fas, and FasL genes among groups. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining was performed. Results: Treatment with RACHNPs significantly increased stereological parameters such as testicular volume, seminiferous tubule length, and testicular cell count. Additionally, it increased testosterone concentration and improved sperm parameters. We observed significant decreases in ROS production and caspase-3 immunostaining in the RACHNP group. Moreover, the expression levels of bax, p53, Fas, and FasL significantly decreased in the groups treated with RACHNPs and RA. Conclusion: RACHNPs can be considered a potent antioxidative and antiapoptotic agent for therapeutic strategies in reproductive and regenerative medicine.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.207-213
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• 2017

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of infections with human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Mycoplasma genitalium in the semen of Korean infertile couples and their associations with sperm quality. Methods: Semen specimens were collected from 400 men who underwent a fertility evaluation. Infection with above five pathogens was assessed in each specimen. Sperm quality was compared in the pathogen-infected group and the non-infected group. Results: The infection rates of human papillomavirus, C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum, M. hominis, and M. genitalium in the study subjects were 1.57%, 0.79%, 16.80%, 4.46%, and 1.31%, respectively. The rate of morphological normality in the U. urealyticum-infected group was significantly lower than in those not infected with U. urealyticum. In a subgroup analysis of normozoospermic samples, the semen volume and the total sperm count in the pathogen-infected group were significantly lower than in the non-infected group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that infection with U. urealyticum alone and any of the five sexually transmitted infections are likely to affect sperm morphology and semen volume, respectively.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the testis toxicities of metal compound, manganese (Mn), which may be generated as mist or fume in the industrial sites. As well as serum prolactin (PRL) concentration was analyzed because Mn accumulation in basal ganglia up-regulates serum PRL and hyperprolactinemia consecutively induces the testis toxicity. Male F344 rats were divided into the 4 groups (2 controls and 2 Mn treated groups, n=10) on the basis of the test condition (inhalation, Mn $1.5mg/m^3$ or not) and treatment period (for 4-weeks and 13-weeks). The treatment time was 6 hr. a day, 5 days a week for the whole body. Basic tests including changes in body weight, feed rate were observed. Blood and testis Mn concentration, and testis toxicity test such as the number and deformity test of sperm were also observed. Serum PRL level was analyzed by ELISA to certify the relationship between the Mn induced increase of the serum PRL level and sperm production. Blood and testis Mn concentrations were significantly and dose-dependently increased. Sperm count was decreased in Mn-treatment groups than control in a treatment time dependent manner. Morphological analysis of cauda epidydimal sperm showed that the frequencies of morphologically abnormal sperms such as bent tail and small head were increased in the both Mn-treatment groups than control. A significant increase in serum PRL levels was found in response to Mn treatment but it was not hyperprolactinemia range. These results suggest that treatment of Mn up-regulates the serum PRL concentration and induces the testis toxicity. The No Aversed Effect Level (NOAEL) of inhaled Mn on the male rat testis may be under the $1.5mg/m^3$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.118-125
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• 2019

Objective: This study investigated the effects of soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP) on serum hormone level, egg quality, semen characteristics and reproductive performance of broiler breeders fed with a maize-soybean meal based diet. Methods: Ninety six female and twenty four male CARIBRO-VISHAL broiler breeders, 38-week old, were individually caged and randomly allocated to four treatment groups (24 female breeders/treatment and 6 male breeders/treatment): an un-supplemented control (T1) and three groups with 0.0176% SSP (group T2), 0.026% SSP (group T3) and 0.0528% SSP (group T4), to have supplementary saponin at 0, 50, 75, and 150 ppm, respectively, for 42 days. Results: The results indicated that serum (p<0.001) and seminal plasma (p<0.05) testosterone level, semen volume (p<0.001), mass motility (p<0.001), and live spermatozoa count (p<0.001) was increased in groups T3 and T4 compared to T2 and control groups. Compared with control group, total sperm count was increased (p<0.001) and dead spermatozoa count was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups. Supplementation of SSP did not affected the quality of egg lay. Compared with control group, fertility (p<0.01) and hatchability (total eggs set and fertile eggs set) (p<0.001) were significantly improved in SSP supplemented groups with the highest improvement in T3 treatment group. Embryonic death was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups compared to control; lowest embryonic death was recorded in T3 treatment group. Conclusion: Thus, it was concluded that dietary supplementation of 0.026% SSP (saponin equivalent 75 ppm) improved the reproductive performance of broiler breeders.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2011

The study aim is to investigate the free radicals scavenging and spermatogenic potentials, as well as to analyze any reproductive toxicity of ethanolic extract of Mucuna prureins (M. pruriens) Linn. in spermatozoa, under different dosages in normal male rat. Normal rats were randomly selected and suspension of the extract was administered orally at the dosages of 150, 200 and 250 mg/kg body weight of the different groups of male rats (n=6) once in a day for 60 days and grouped as group II, III and IV respectively. Saline treated rats served as control -group I. On the $60^{th}$ day the animals were sacrificed and the epididymal sperm were subjected to various analyses like level of ROS production, LPO, enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidant, morphology, morphometry, chromosomal integrity and DNA damage. Results showed significant reduction in ROS production and peroxidation and significant increase in both enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in all concentration treated groups when compared with control. Results from all the drug treated groups showed good sperm morphology, increased sperm count and motility. There was no DNA damage and showed normal chromosomal integrity even in 250 mg/kg dose. When compared with control all the three extract treated groups showed increased ROS scavenging activity. However, group II (200 mg/kg) showed significant changes in all the parameters. From the present study it was confirmed that the M. pruriens has potential to improve the sperm qualitatively and quantitatively through scavenging the excess ROS with any adverse side effects. These observations suggest that ethanolic seed extract of M. pruriens may serve as anti-oxidant that can exploit to treat the oxidative stress mediated male factor infertility.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2017

BVDV causes significant infections in ruminants, resulting in reproductive disorders, diarrhea, reduced milk production and enormous damage to farms. In particular, identification and culling of persistent infectious calf is an important task to eliminate infectious nidus in cattle households. However, studies on physiological characteristics of PI bull are still insufficient to understand reproductive effects of BVDV. In this study, one PI bull was confirmed in herd and complete blood analysis was performed. The lymphocyte count of PI at age 4 was below the normal range and the number of WBCs was also in the lower level of normal range in blood. The sperm number produced by PI male becomes lower and the viability of fresh sperm comes to poor with ages (P<0.05). The sperm abnormality was also increased, especially in nuclear vacuoles of head and droplets of midpeace (P<0.05). The PI male becomes infertile due to poor semen quality at age 4. With these results, we concluded that BVDV in PI bull cause decreased sperm cell and abnormality in semen so causes infertility. However, it appears that BVDV could not be transmitted by indirect contact of PI bull, because there was no evidence of BVDV infection in the herd, when regular vaccination program was applied.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2002

This study was to compare the characteristics of parthenogenetic mES (P-mES) cells and in vitro fertilization mES cells. Mouse oocytes were recovered from superovulated 4wks hybrid F1 (C57BL/6xCBA/N) female mice. The oocytes were treated with 7% ethanol for 5 min and 5 ㎍/㎖ cytochalasin-B for 4 h. For IVF, the oocytes were inseminated with epididymal sperm of hybrid Fl male mice (1×10/sup 6//㎖). IVF and parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in M16 medium for 4 days. Cell number count in blastocysts was carried out differential labelling using propidium iodide (red) and bisbenzimide(blue). (omitted)

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was carried out to determine $LD_{50}$ of benzo[a]pyrene to decide the possibility to designate them as toxic substance on the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances, and to suggest that they should be managed in what level on the Chemical Control Act. Methods: Based on the result of a preliminary study, 300 mg/kg was set as the middle dose. A highest dose of 2,000 mg/kg and a lowest dose of 50 mg/kg were selected based on the OECD TG 423. Benzo[a]pyrene was orally administered once to female and male SD rats at dose levels of 50, 300, 2,000 mg/kg (body weight). All animals were monitored daily for clinical signs and mortality over 14 days. Also testicular spermatid count, motility and etc. were examined as well. Results: Under the condition of this experiment, $LD_{50}$ of benzo[a]pyrene was assumed to be >2,000 mg/kg. In the lesion according to autopsy, there were no specific symptoms in the control and experimental groups. At 2,000 mg/kg, a decrease in the sperm motility was observed. Benzo[a]pyrene should be designated to be toxic substance as the material assumed to be reproduction-toxicity on the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemicals. Therefore we should abide by legal procedures determined by Chemicals Control Act in treating it. Conclusion: Considering the significant result that sperm motility in the experimental group was inferior to that in the reference group, we suggest that benzo[a]pyrene be designated as a toxic substance.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2003

Objective: We investigated whether serum testosterone to estradiol ratio was decreased in infertile men and whether this condition can be corrected with oral aromatase inhibitor. Method: The serum testosterone to estradiol ratio of 26 men with testicular failure were compared with those of normal semen analysis parameter, 89 control reference group. All of 26 testicular failure group were diagnosed with the previous testicular biopsy. Then 46 men with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia were selected and treated with 1 mg of the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole ($Arimidex^{(R)}$) orally once daily for 3 months. Testosterone to estradiol ratio and semen analyses were evaluated during anastrozole therapy. Results: The testosterone level of testicular failure group was significantly lower and the testosterone to estradiol ratio was more decreased than normal semen parameter group. Forty six on-anastrozole group had significantly lower testosterone (4.6 versus 5.7 ng/ml, p<0.01) and higher estradiol (15.9 versus 23.4 pg/ml, p<0.01) than pre-anastrozole group, resulting in a decreased testosterone to estradiol ratio ($0.21{\pm}0.07$ versus $0.39{\pm}0.15$, p<0.01). Semen analyses before and during anastrozole treatment revealed significant increases in sperm count (35.5 versus 52.2 million sperm per ml, p<0.01) and motility (22.9% versus 29.3%, p<0.01). Conclusions: We identified infertile men with testicular failure had hormonal changes characterized by a decreased serum testosterone to estradiol ratio. The ratio can be corrected with aromatase inhibitor, resulting in a significant improvement in semen parameters.