Influence of combined antioxidants against cadmium induced testicular damage

Acute effects ofcadmium (Cd) and combined antioxidants were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rat testes. The rats were subdivided into four groups. Cadmium chloride (2 mg/kg day) injected intraperitoneally during 8 days. Vitamin C (250 mg/kg day), vitamin E (250 rng/kgday) and sodium selenate (0.25 mg/kg day) were pretreated by gavage in both ofcontrol and cadmium injected rats. Testis lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels were determined by spectrophotometrically. In Cd treated rats, lipid peroxidation levels were increased and glutathione levels were decreased and combined antioxidants treatment was effective in preventing of lipid peroxidation and normalizing glutathione. In Cd treated animals, the degenerative changes were observed, but not observed in the administrated rats with Cd and antioxidantS Linder the light microscope. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen, metal loth ionei n and caspase-3 activities were evaluated by irninunohistochernically. Proliferation activity was not seen in the spermatogonial cells of cadmium treated testis. Treatment with antioxidarils in cadmium administrated testis leads to pronounced increase in proliferation activity. Cytoplasmic caspase-3 activity was determined in the sperinatogenic cells but not speri-natogonia in treatment of ant ioxidants with Cd. In control and treated with antioxidants animals, metallothionein expressions were localized in the cells of serainiferous tubules, although the expression only was observed in the interstitial cells of cadmium treated rats. Results demonstrated beneficial effects of combined vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium treatment in Cd toxicity. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.