Amelioration of vanadium-induced testicular toxicity and adrenocortical hyperactivity by vitamin E acetate in rats

Vanadium toxicity is a challenging problem to the health professionals and a cutting-edge medical problem. Vanadium has been recognized as industrial hazards that adversely affect human and animal reproductive health. Since testicular function is exquisitely susceptible to reactive-oxygen species, the present study elucidates the possible involvement of oxidative stress in vanadium-induced testicular toxicity and the prophylactic effects of vitamin E acetate against such adverse effects of vanadium. The study also characterizes the effects of vanadium on rat adrenal steroidogenesis and determines the underlying mechanisms of testicular and adrenal interactions in response to vanadium exposure. Significantly reduced sperm count associated with decreased serum testosterone and gonadotropins level in the vanadium-injected group of rats compared to control substantially proves the ongoing damaging effects of vanadium-induced ROS on developing germ cells. This is in turn reflected in the appreciable increase in testicular lipid peroxidation level and decline in the activities of steroidogenic and antioxidant enzymes. However, oral administration of vitamin E acetate could protect testes from the toxic effects of vanadium. Vanadium also results in adrenocortical hyperactivity, as evidenced by the elevated secretion of glucocorticoids, adrenal gland hypertrophy and increased activity of adrenal Delta(5)3 beta-HSD. However, reversibility of these alterations in adrenocortical activities was vividly reflected after vitamin E acetate supplementation. All these studies reveal that oxidative stress is the major mechanism of health deterioration and that vanadium can act as a stressor metal causing chronic stress effects through excitation of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. However antioxidant support by vitamin E acetate may provide significant protection.