Comparison of age-related changes in in vivo and in vitro measures of testicular steroidogenesis after acute cadmium exposure in the sprague-dawley rat

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398909531281· OSTI ID:5029976

Phelps, P V; Laskey, J W ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA)

Previous reports have demonstrated that cadmium- (Cd-) induced testicular necrosis is an age-dependent process. However, little information exists on age-related intestitial cell (IC) damage in the rat after acute exposure to Cd. In this study in vitro and in vivo measures of testicular damage were utilized to compare the sensitivity of these measures and to further investigate age-related Cd-induced testicular damage. Testes, epididymides, and seminal vesicle weights, serum testosterone (sT), hCG-stimulated sT, and basal and stimulated IC testosterone (T) production were production were compared in rats 21 d following an injection of 2 mg Cd/kg at 9, 37, 67, and 97 d of age. The only Cd-related change noted for immature rats was an 84% reduction in sT. In rats injected when 37 d old, hCG-stimulated sT and epididymides and seminal vesicle weights, although depressed, were not significantly altered. However, all other measurements were significantly depressed. All measures of testicular damage were significantly depressed in rats injected at 67 and 97 d of age. Overall, in vitro measures were more sensitive indicators of Cd-induced testicular damage than in vivo measures. However, sT and hCG-stimulated sT appeared to be useful indicators of Cd effects on the pituitary-gonadal axis. ICs from immature rats (9 d old) were unaffected by Cd exposure, while stimulated T reproduction in ICs from 37-, 67-, and 97-d-old animals was reduced at least 50%. The severity of Cd-induced testicular damage increases with age for all variables measured.

• OSTI ID: 5029976
• Journal Information: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (USA), Vol. 27:1; ISSN 0098-4108
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
TOXICITY
STEROID HORMONES
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
TESTES
SENSITIVITY
ACUTE EXPOSURE
AGE DEPENDENCE
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
IN VITRO
IN VIVO
RATS
ANIMALS
BODY
ELEMENTS
GONADS
HORMONES
KINETICS
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
METALS
ORGANS
REACTION KINETICS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology