Pesticide-induced decrease in rat testicular steroidogenesis is differencilly prevented by lipoate and tocopherol

ASTIZ, MARIANA; HURTADO DE CATALFO, GRACIELA; GARCÍA, MARCELA; GALLETTI, SUSANA; ERRECALDE, ANA L; ALANIZ, MARIA J.T. DE; MARRA, CARLOS A.

ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 91 p. 129 - 138

0147-6513

We have previously demonstrated that the sub-chronic administration of low doses of Toc or alpha-Toc, glyphosate and zineb to rats(i.p.1/250 LD50 three times a week for 5 weeks) provoked severe oxidative stress (OS) in testicles.These effects were also reflected in plasma. Lipoic acid (LA) and alpha-tocopherol are considered as antioxidants due to their ability to neutralize reactive oxygenated species (ROS)and reset endogenous antioxidant levels. To investigate the possible protective effect on reproductive function, LA  and Toc (i.p.25,50 and100mg/kg) were administered simultaneously with the pesticide mixture (PM)  for 5 weeks. Both drugs prevented OS and the damage to proteins and lipids caused by PM in a dose-dependent manner.The PM-induced increase levels of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha was completely   restored by LA but not by Toc. Similarly, onlyLA was able to restore the inhibition of testosterone  production, the decrease of 3beta- and17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases activities, and the elevation of gonatropins (FSHandLH) levels produced by PM. Furthermore, LA was more efficient than Tocin normalizing the histological alterations produced byPM administration, suggesting that pesticides act thought her mechanisms that generate oxidative estress. In our experimental model LA displayed a higher protective role against pesticide-induced damage than that observed by Toc administration. Our results suggest that LA administration is a promising therapeutic strategy for coping with disorders suspected to be caused by OS generators?such as pesticides?in male reproductive system.