Nano-sized titanium dioxide toxicity in rat prostate and testis: Possible ameliorative effect of morin

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TAAP.2017.08.014· OSTI ID:22722950

Mohamed, Maha M. ^[1]

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1. Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Women for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo (Egypt)

This study investigated the effect of short-term oral exposure to nano-sized titanium dioxide (nTiO{sub 2}) on Wistar rat prostate and testis, and the associating reproductive-related alterations. The study also evaluated the potential ameliorative effect of the natural flavonoid, morin, on nTiO{sub 2}-induced aberrations. Intragastric administration of nTiO{sub 2} (50 mg/kg/day for 1, 2 and 3 weeks) increased testicular gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) activity and decreased testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and c-kit gene expression, serum testosterone level and sperm count. nTiO{sub 2}-treated rats also exhibited prostatic and testicular altered glutathione levels, elevated TNF-α levels, up-regulated Fas, Bax and caspase-3 gene expression, down-regulated Bcl-2 gene expression and enhanced prostatic lipid peroxidation. Sperm malformation and elevated testicular acid phosphatase (ACP) activity and malondialdehyde level, serum prostatic acid phosphatase activity, prostate specific antigen (PSA), gonadotrophin and estradiol levels occurred after the 2 and 3 week regimens. Morin (30 mg/kg/day administered intragastrically for 5 weeks) mitigated nTiO{sub 2}-induced prostatic and testicular injury as evidenced by lowering serum PSA level, testicular γ-GT and ACP activities and TNF-α level, along with hampering both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Moreover, morin alleviated prostatic lipid peroxidation, raised prostatic glutathione level, and relieved testicular reductive stress. Additionally, morin increased testicular StAR and c-kit mRNA expression, raised the sperm count, reduced sperm deformities and modified the altered hormone profile. Histopathological evaluation supported the biochemical findings. In conclusion, morin could ameliorate nTiO{sub 2}-induced prostatic and testicular injury and the corresponding reproductive-related aberrations via redox regulatory, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic mechanisms, promoting steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis, and improving sperm count and morphology. - Highlights: • Morin lowered nano-sized (nTiO{sub 2})-induced increase in prostatic & testicular markers. • Morin mitigated nTiO{sub 2}-induced prostatic & testicular inflammation & apoptosis. • Morin alleviated prostatic oxidative stress & relieved testicular reductive stress. • nTiO{sub 2}-reduced testicular mRNA expression of StAR and c-kit was increased by morin. • Morin ameliorated nTiO{sub 2}-deranged sperm count, sperm morphology & hormone profile.

• OSTI ID: 22722950
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal Name: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology Vol. 334; ISSN TXAPA9; ISSN 0041-008X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ACID PHOSPHATASE
GENES
MORIN
NANOSTRUCTURES
PROSTATE
RATS
SPERMATOZOA
STRESSES
TESTES
TITANIUM OXIDES