P-66: Protective Effect of Testosterone and Vitamin E on Atrazine-Induced Toxicity in Testis

Background: Atrazine (ATR) is herbicide which is known to induce endocrine disruption. According to previous reports, long-time exposure to ATR leads to severe seminiferous tubules degeneration and significant reduction in sperm content. Moreover this chemical exerts its pathological impact partly by inducing oxidative stress. Therefore present study was designed in order to evaluate protective effect of Testosterone and vitamin E on ATR-induced detrimental effects in testicular tissue. Materials and Methods: Thirty mature male rats were used. The animals divided into five groups as; controlsham (corn oil, 0.2 mg/kg, by gavages), ATR - administrated (200 mg/kg, daily, by gavages), ATR + vitamin E (150 mg/kg, every 48 hoursrs.), ATR+testosterone (250mg/kg, per week, ip), ATR + vitamin E + testosterone groups. After 48 days the testicles were dissected and underwent to histological analyses. The sertolli cells index, leydig cells distribution, tubular differentiation (TDI) and repopulation indexes (RI) were evaluated. The serum level of testosterone was evaluated using immunoradioassay method. Results: The animals in ATR group were manifested with negative indexes for sertolli cells, TDI and RI, while vitamin E and Testosterone-administrated groups were revealed with increased percentage of tubules with positive sertolli cells, TDI and SPI. Accordingly the ATR+vitamin E+testosterone group showed significantly (p<0.05) higher percentage of tubules with mentioned indexes. The number of leydig cells per one mm2 of the connective tissue decreased in ATR-induced group. Meanwhile the vitamin E and testosterone administration resulted in remarkably (p<0.05) higher survived leydig cells number/one mm2 of the interstitial connective tissue. Hematological analyses showed that the serum level of testosterone decreased in ATR group, while the highest level of testosterone demonstrated in ATR + vitamin E + testosterone group. Conclusion: Our data suggest that chronic exposure to ATR could cause reproductive abnormalities. Moreover present findings indicate that ATR, at least partly by interfering in oxidative stress system and by influencing testicular endocrine function, exerts its toxic effects on testes whereas vitamin E and testosterone could fairly protect testicles against ATR toxic effects.