OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence and spermatogenesis of cryptorchid testes induced by postnatal injection of estradiol.

METHODSNinety male newborn Balb/C mice were randomly divided into an experimental (n = 60), a solvent control (n = 20) and a normal control group (n = 10). The experimental mice were again assigned to a 4-week, a 6-week, an 8-week, and a 10-week subgroup, and injected subcutaneously with 17-beta estradiol (5 microg/d) from 3 to 28, 3 to 42, 3 to 56 and 3 to 70 days after birth, respectively. The incidence of cryptorchidism and morphological changes of the testes were observed at 2 weeks after drug withdrawal.

RESULTSThe incidence rates of cryptorchidism in the 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-week groups were 0%, 26.7%, 60% and 60%, respectively, but no cryptorchidism occurred in the solvent and normal control groups. The 4- and 6-week groups showed autonomous descent of the cryptorchid testes and recovery of spermatogenesis after drug withdrawal. The models became stable and no spermatogenesis recovery was observed after 8 weeks of continuous medication.

CONCLUSIONStable cryptorchid infertile models can be established in mice by postnatally continuous injection of estradiol for over 8 weeks.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cryptorchidism ; chemically induced ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estradiol ; adverse effects ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C

The purpose of this study was to review occupational reproductive abnormalities and occupational bladder cancer in Korea and to discuss their toxicological implications. Reproductive dysfunction as a result of 2-bromopropane poisoning was first reported in Korean workers. In 1995, 23 of the 33 workers (25 female and 8 male workers) who were exposed to 2-bromopropane during the assembly of tactile switch parts developed reproductive and/or hematopoietic disorders. A total of 17 (68%) workers were diagnosed with ovarian failure. Two of the eight male workers experienced azoospermia and four workers experienced some degree of oligospermia or reduced sperm motility. In summary, 2-bromopropane poisoning caused severe reproductive effects in Korean workers. The prognosis was poor for reproductive dysfunction. A few cases of occupational bladder cancer have been reported in Korea, whereas other cancers of the urinary tract have not been reported after occupational exposure. A few cases of benzidine-induced cancer have been reported in Korea and 592 workers in Japan have received compensation for benzidine and beta-naphthylamine-induced cancer. In conclusion, a few cases of benzidine-induced occupational bladder cancer have been reported in Korea. However, benzidine-induced bladder cancer will likely be an important occupational health issue in Korea in the coming years.
2-Naphthylamine/toxicity ; Azoospermia/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Benzidines/toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated/toxicity ; Infertility/*chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Male ; Occupational Diseases/*chemically induced/*epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects ; Oligospermia/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Republic of Korea ; Sperm Motility/drug effects ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*chemically induced/*epidemiology

Environmental factors may negatively contribute to a progressive worsening of semen quality, and differences in semen quality may result from different environmental exposures (regional differences) or lifestyle differences. Heavy metals are factors with a confirmed negative influence on male fertility. Among them, lead and cadmium are commonly found in human surroundings. Thus, we analyzed semen parameters (according to the World Health Organization 2010 recommendations) and semen lead and cadmium concentrations in 188 men from two different regions in Poland, a typical agricultural area and an industrial area, in couples that had been diagnosed with infertility. The assays were performed using flameless electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. In the statistical analysis, regional comparisons and then taxonomic comparisons based on three parameters (age, semen concentration, and sperm morphology) were applied. We showed that more cadmium than lead accumulated in semen, a higher cadmium concentration was observed in semen obtained from men from the agricultural region, and better semen quality and lower cadmium concentrations were found in the semen of men from the industrial, more polluted region. We thus showed an existing regionalism in the sperm quality properties. However, semen parameters such as morphology and progressive and nonprogressive motility followed the same trends, regardless of the patient's age, region, or class. We could conclude that the environment has a minor impact on sperm morphology and progressive and nonprogressive motility and that other existing factors could have an indirect influence on semen quality.
Cadmium ; Environmental Exposure/analysis* ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/chemically induced* ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVESTo observe the effects of chlorotriptolide (T4) and triptonide (T7) on the chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates of bone marrow cell in male SD rats.

METHODSAntifertility doses of T4[80 micrograms/(kg.d)] or T7[317 micrograms/(kg.d)] were given to male rats per OS for 10 weeks. Bone marrow slides were then prepared and compared with the controls.

RESULTSThe chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates were not significantly different from those of the controls (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe results were in accordance with our previous reports about the effects of T4 and T7 on the chromosome aberration and micronuclei rates of rat spermatogenic cells. At the antifertility doses, T4 and T7 did not show a mutagenic effect.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chromosome Aberrations ; chemically induced ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; genetics ; Male ; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective ; drug effects ; Phenanthrenes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time- and dose-related reproductive toxicity of adenine in male Wistar rats.

METHODSAdenine was dissolved with Arabian sol at the proportion of 1:10 and different adenine solutions were prepared at the concentration of 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/ml. Seventy-five male Wistar rats were equally assigned to 5 dose groups and received intragastric administration of the adenine solution at 1 ml/(100 g x d). Five from each group were sacrificed every 10, 20 and 30 days, their sperm quality and body and genital weight measured, pathological examinations conducted, sex hormone changes detected by radioimmunoassay, and analyses made on the time- and dose-related reproductive toxicity of adenine.

RESULTSWith the increase in the time and dose of adenine administration, signs of kidney-yang deficiency gradually appeared in all the dose groups on the third day; and statistically significant changes were observed in sperm concentration and motility, and serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels in the 100 mg/(100 g x d) group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) by the 10th day. The same changes were observed in 50 mg/(100 g x d) group by the 20th day. Different degrees of pathological changes were noted in a time and dose-dependent manner in all the dose groups, suggestive of a progressive reduction of the reproductive function with the increase of time and dose of adenine administration.

CONCLUSIONFor the construction of the male rat model of adenine-induced infertility with kidney-yang deficiency, the best dose is 50-100 mg/(100 g x d) and the best administration time is 10-20 consecutive days intragastrically.

Adenine ; toxicity ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testosterone ; blood ; Time Factors ; Yang Deficiency ; blood ; chemically induced ; pathology

An ideal animal model of azoospermia would be a powerful tool for the evaluation of spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation. Busulfan has been commonly used to develop such a model, but 30%-87% of mice die when administered an intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg kg^-1. In the present study, hematoxylin and eosin staining, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to test the effects of busulfan exposure in a mouse model that received two intraperitoneal injections of busulfan at a 3-h interval at different doses (20, 30, and 40 mg kg^-1) on day 36 or a dose of 40 mg kg^-1 at different time points (0, 9, 18, 27, 36, and 63 days). The survival rate of the mice was 100%. When the mice were treated with 40 mg kg^-1 busulfan, dramatic SSC depletion occurred 18 days later and all of the germ cells were cleared by day 36. In addition, the gene expressions of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), chemokine (C-X-C Motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12), and colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) were moderately increased by day 36. A 63-day, long-term observation showed the rare restoration of endogenous germ cells in the testes, suggesting that the potential period for SSC transplantation was between day 36 and day 63. Our results demonstrate that the administration of two intraperitoneal injections of busulfan (40 mg kg^-1 in total) at a 3-h interval to mice provided a nonlethal and efficient method for recipient preparation in SSC transplantation and could improve treatments for infertility and the understanding of chemotherapy-induced gonadotoxicity.
Adult Germline Stem Cells/transplantation* ; Animals ; Azoospermia/chemically induced* ; Busulfan/toxicity* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Infertility, Male/chemically induced* ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Male ; Mice ; Spermatogenesis/drug effects* ; Spermatogonia/drug effects* ; Stem Cell Transplantation/methods*

Fluorosis of coal burning is a new type of endemic fluorosis in China, which affects the male reproductive system. Furthermore, the content of fluoride in the semen, sperm mortality, sperm concentration and the incidence of infertility are higher in severe fluorosis areas than in mild- and non-fluorosis areas, so are the levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. However, the levels of inhibin B, serum testosterone and estradiol show different degrees of reduction in severe fluorosis areas. Accordingly, fluorosis of coal burning, just like other endemic fluorosis, may affect the structure of male reproductive organs, the generation of sperm and reproductive endocrinology, resulting in the decline of men's reproductive ability.
Coal ; Fluorosis, Dental ; blood ; etiology ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; Male ; Semen ; chemistry ; Smoke ; adverse effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulatory effect of Yijing Fang (YJF) on adenine-induced infertility in rats with kidney deficiency.

METHODSSixty healthy Wistar male rats, aged 1.5 mo and weighing (180 +/- 10) g, were normally fed for a week, and then divided into five groups of equal number (blank control, infertile model, high-dose YJF, mid-dose YJF, and low-dose YJF) according to the body weight of the rats. The models were made by intragastric administration of 500 mg/ml adenine in gum arabic solution in the ratio of 1:10 at the dose of 1 ml per 100 g body weight per day for 10 days. YJF was given at 3.38 g, 1.69 g and 0.85 g per 100 g body weight per day to the rats in the high-, mid- and low-dose groups, respectively. After 48 days of treatment, we observed kidney deficiency-related changes in sperm concentration and motility, the levels of testosterone (T) and other hormones and the volumes of the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate, and compared the indexes among different groups.

RESULTSYJF exhibited a significant regulatory effect on sperm concentration and motility, the T level and the indexes of the gonad and other accessory glands in the model rats (P < 0.05). After 48 days of treatment, sperm concentrations were (87.85 +/- 28.44), (7.11 +/- 2.15), (35.98 +/- 14.04), (32.65 +/- 11.80) and (33.51 +/- 13.26) x 10(6)/ml in the blank control, infertile model, high-dose YJF, mid-dose YJF, and low-dose YJF groups, respectively; sperm motilities were (52.79 +/- 16.43), (31.14 +/- 3.07), (45.88 +/- 16.97), (51.56 +/- 13.35) and (49.53 +/- 10.16)%; the T levels were (194.07 +/- 40.29), (61.27 +/- 13.70), (121.87 +/- 24.35), (127.44 +/- 19.38) and (127.81 +/- 20.28) nmol/L; the luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were (7.017 +/- 0.269), (6.117 +/- 0.894), (7.060 +/- 0.871), (7.156 +/- 0.937) and (6.967 +/- 0.778) IU/L; the testis volumes were (3.775 +/- 0.183), (2.865 +/- 0.258), (3.236 +/- 0.058), (3.457 +/- 0.066) and (3.398 +/- 0.091) g; the epididymis volumes were (1.119 +/- 0.116), (0.833 +/- 0.226), (1.124 +/- 0.104), (1.132 +/- 0.107) and (1.114 +/- 0.106) g; the prostate volumes were (176.75 +/- 427.09), (131.67 +/- 39.45), (178.70 +/- 37.97), (180.11 +/- 37.39) and (179.00 +/- 35.42) mg; and the body weights were (188.50 +/- 7.12), (189.92 +/- 6.67), (187.42 +/- 5.47), (189.17 +/- 6.19) and (188.75 +/- 6.12) g. Testis histopathology showed obvious injuries in the infertile models and different degrees of improvement in the three YJF groups, most evidently in the mid-dose group.

CONCLUSIONYifing Fang had an evident therapeutic effect on kidney deficiency-related infertility in adenine-induced rat models.

Adenine ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

In recent years, the incidences of male infertility and recurrent abortion are increasing. The causes of the conditions are varied and complex, but the affected stability of the genetic material in the sperm is an important etiological factor. Environmental pollutants may invade the body through respiration, diet and other channels, resulting in infertility and abortion or even affecting the reproductive system development of the offspring by changing the epigenetics of sperm DNA. In this paper, we propose the idea of using traditional Chinese medicine to prevent environmental pollutant-induced epigenetic changes of sperm DNA, hoping to provide a new insight into the protection against genetic material damage, male infertility, and recurrent abortion caused by environmental pollutants.
DNA Damage ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

The reproductive toxicity of environmental endocrine disruptors has attracted substantial attention from researchers in recent years. Bisphenol A (BPA) is among the most prominent environmental estrogens worldwide, demonstrated to be related with the impairment of male reproductive function as well as other health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. BPA acts primarily by mimicking antiandrogenic and estrogenic effects, disturbing the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis and modulating gene expressions and enzyme activities in the hormone biosynthesis affecting steroids or its receptors. BPA is also involved in DNA methylation and the effects of epigenetics, resulting in dyszoospermia, oligoasthenoteratospermia/azoospermia and/or infertility in males. This review addresses the effects of BPA on male reproductive function, focusing on the mechanisms of its toxicity on spermatogenesis, semen quality, and the reproductive system.
Benzhydryl Compounds ; toxicity ; Endocrine Disruptors ; toxicity ; Endocrine System ; drug effects ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Estrogens ; toxicity ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; chemically induced ; Male ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Semen Analysis ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects