Nicotine toxicity to the ultrastructure of the testis in rats

AYDOS K., Guven M., Can B., Ergun A.

BJU International, cilt.88, sa.6, ss.622-626, 2001 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 88 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2001
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1046/j.1464-4096.2001.02384.x
  • Dergi Adı: BJU International
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.622-626
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: infertility, nicotine, rat, seminiferous tubules, testis, ultrastructure, TESTICULAR TOXICITY, LAMINA PROPRIA, SEMINAL PLASMA, SERTOLI CELLS, MYOID CELLS, SMOKING, SPERM, ASSOCIATION, MEN, SPERMATOZOA
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Objective: To investigate the influence of nicotine exposure on the ultrastructure of the rat testis. Materials and methods Twenty rats were injected with nicotine at a dose of 0.4 mg/100 g body weight daily for 3 months; a group of 20 control rats matched for weight and age were injected with saline only for the same duration. The testes were then harvested and examined by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Rats given nicotine showed: thickening of the tunica propria, caused by an increase in the collagen fibres under the irregular basal lamina; degeneration of junctional specializations between the Sertoli cells, with malformed nuclei showing condensed chromatin; Sertoli cells with numerous polymorphic mito-chondria with irregular cristae and an electron-dense matrix. The germ cells were degenerated, spermatids retained excess cytoplasm and accumulated electron-dense lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. The acrosomes were irregular and abnormally configured. Conclusion: There were ultrastructural alterations in rats exposed to nicotine that could be attributed to the detrimental effects of nicotine on germ cells, peritubular structures and Sertoli cells.