Endocrine Abstracts

There is a rising use of Aluminium oxide nanoparticles (Al₂O₃NPs) in many branches of industry and personal care products. Because of these uses, their impact on the environment must be considered and investigated. Almost nothing is known about the effects of Al₂O₃NPs on semen quality and reproductive hormones. Possible mechanisms for the cytotoxicity of Al₂O₃NPs are still being discussed, but oxidative stress may be responsible for their effect. Therefore, the objective of this study was thus to know the capability of glutathione as antioxidant agent against the effects of Al₂O₃NPs on sperm parameters, testosterone, FSH, LH, steroid enzymes, histological changes, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in male rats. Animals were divided into four groups, group 1 was used as control, group 2 was treated orally with glutathione (100 mg/kg BW), group 3 was treated intraperitoneally (IP) with aluminum oxide nanoparticles (70 mg/kg BW; <50 nm), group 4 was treated with aluminum oxide nanoparticles plus glutathione. Rats were administered their respective doses every day for 77 day. Results showed that Al₂O₃NPs decreased final body weight, body weight gain, relative testes and epididymis weights, sperm count, sperm motility, testosterone levels, 17- ketosteroid reductase, while increased abnormal sperm, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and weight of prostate gland. In addition, Al₂O₃NPs decreased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (GST, CAT, SOD, GPx) and reduced glutathione, while increased the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in both plasma and testes. Histological examination of testes showed that Al₂O₃NPs caused decrease in the number of spermatogenic cells in the seminiferous tubules, degeneration of germinal epithelium, disappearance in primary spermatogonia and round spermatid. The presence of glutathione with Al₂O₃NPs minimized its effect which improved the structural components of the testes and spermatogenic cells. The present data concluded that glutathione could be used as protective agents against the reproductive toxicity induced by Al₂O₃NPs.