Reproductive seasonality in Neotropical bats has been assessed to the better understand their reproductive behavior. This knowledge is especially important for the control of Desmodus rotundus ...population as it is a transmitter of rabies virus. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the functional activity of testis and epididymis of D. rotundus in dry and rainy seasons under a morphological approach. We observed an increase in tubular diameter and epithelial height of the seminiferous tubules during the rainy season. In the latter, additionally, stereological analysis of the testis showed increased proportion of seminiferous epithelium and reduced percentage of lumen. The sperm number in caput/corpus epididymis increased in rainy season, whereas sperm count and transit time were reduced in cauda region. These alterations were probably related to the recovery of epithelium activities after mating season in dry season. Despite altered nuclear and cytoplasm parameters of Leydig cells between seasons, the volume and number of these cells were constant. Moreover, no change in serum testosterone levels, daily sperm production, and apoptotic index were observed, which indicates that the reproductive pattern in D. rotundus does not change between seasons. Our study offers a baseline for the management of vampire bat population as an attempt to control rabies disease.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Interactions of arsenic with essential trace elements may result in disturbances on body homeostasis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of different arsenic compounds on ...micromineral content and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat liver. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups and exposed to sodium arsenite and sodium arsenate at 0.01 and 10 mg/L for 8 weeks in drinking water. The concentration of arsenic increased in the liver of all arsenic-exposed animals. The proportion of zinc and copper increased in animals exposed to 0.01 mg/L sodium arsenite. In addition, these animals presented a reduction in magnesium and sodium content. Superoxide dismutase activity decreased mainly in arsenite-exposed animals, whereas catalase activity decreased in animals exposed to 10 mg/L sodium arsenate. Further, exposure to sodium arsenate at 10 mg/L altered copper and magnesium content in the liver, and reduced total protein levels. Overall, both arsenic compounds altered the liver histology, with reduction in the proportion of cytoplasm and hepatocyte, and increased the percentage of sinusoidal capillaries and macrophages. In conclusion, our findings showed that oral exposure to arsenic compounds disturbs the trace elements balance in the liver, especially at low concentration, altering enzymatic and stereological parameters. We concluded that despite the increase in trace elements content, the antioxidant enzyme activities were downregulated and did not prevent morphological alterations in the liver of animals exposed to both arsenic compounds.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The main source of environmental arsenic exposure in most countries of the world is drinking water in which inorganic forms of arsenic predominate. The present study was aimed to test the impact of ...two different compounds of inorganic arsenic in histomorphometric and enzymatic parameters in the testes by oral exposition. Adult Wistar male rats were exposed to sodium arsenite and arsenate in drinking water, testing for each chemical form the concentrations of 0.01 and 10Â mg/L per 56Â days. The animals intoxicated with arsenic, mainly sodium arsenite, showed reduction in the percentage of seminiferous epithelium and in proportion and volume of Leydig cells. Moreover, there was an increase in the percentage of tunica propria, lumen, lymphatic space, blood vessels, and macrophages. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not change among the groups. However, the activity of catalase (CAT) decreased in animals exposed to both arsenic compounds. In addition, the higher concentration of arsenic, mainly as sodium arsenite, caused vacuolization in the seminiferous epithelium. The body and testes weight as well as testosterone concentration remained unchanged among the groups. In conclusion, exposition to arsenic, mainly as sodium arsenite, caused alteration in histomorphometric parameters and antioxidant defense system in the testes.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Although excessive fat and caffeine intake are independent risk factors for bone microstructural and functional disturbances, their association remains overlooked. Thus, we investigated the impact of ...high-fat diet (HFD) and caffeine alone and combined on serum lipid profile, bone microstructure, micromineral distribution and biomechanical properties.
Forty female C57BL/6 mice were randomized into 4 groups daily treated for seventeen weeks with standard diet (SD) or HFD (cafeteria diet) alone or combined with 50 mg/kg caffeine.
The association between HFD and caffeine reduced the weight gain compared to animals receiving HFD alone. Caffeine alone or combined with HFD increases total and HDL cholesterol circulating levels. HFD also reduced calcium, phosphorus and magnesium bone levels compared to the groups receiving SD, and this reduction was aggravated by caffeine coadministration. From biomechanical assays, HFD combined with caffeine increased bending strength and stiffness of tibia, a finding aligned with the marked microstructural remodeling of the cortical and cancellous bone in animals receiving this combination.
Our findings indicated that HFD and caffeine interact to induce metabolic changes and bone microstructural remodeling, which are potentially related to bone biomechanical adaptations in response to HFD and caffeine coadministration.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Arsenic (As), in the form of trivalent arsenite or pentavalent arsenate, is a ubiquitous toxic compound naturally occurring in the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two ...different forms of inorganic As on reproductive parameters following oral exposure. Adult Wistar male rats were exposed to sodium arsenite or arsenate at concentrations of 0.01 mg/L or 10 mg/L for 56 d in drinking water. Sodium arsenite at both concentrations and sodium arsenate at 10 mg/L produced reduction in daily sperm production, in number of spermatids in the testis, and in sperm in the epididymal caput/corpus regions. Changes in epididymal morphometry were variable and region specific. Total and progressive sperm motility and sperm morphology did not differ markedly between controls and animals exposed to As. The body and reproductive organs weights, as well as testosterone concentration, remained unchanged among all groups. In conclusion, As exposure in drinking water over 56 d produced damage in male reproductive functions in adult rats, suggesting that fertility problems might occur. Therefore, additional studies need to be undertaken to investigate potential mechanisms underlying sodium arsenite- and arsenate-induced disturbances in fertility and reproductive performance.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Due to environmental contamination, the environment constantly receives pollutants from various anthropic actions. These pollutants put ecological health at risk due to contamination and accumulation ...in living organisms, including wild animals and humans. Exposure can cause physiological, morphological, and behavioral changes in living beings. In this context, laboratory studies have frequently investigated how environmental contaminants affect the male reproductive system and gametes. However, few studies have examined how these contaminants affect male reproduction in naturally exposed animals. To better understand this topic, we conducted a systematic review of the effects of exposing male vertebrate animals to polluted environments on their reproductive functions. After an extensive search using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, 39 studies met our inclusion criteria and were eligible for this review. This study showed that reproductive damages were frequent in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals exposed to contaminated environments. Wild animals are exposed mainly to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), toxic metals, and radiation. Exposure to pollutants causes a reduction in androgen levels, impaired spermatogenesis, morphological damage to reproductive organs, and decreased sperm quality, leading to reduced fertility and population decline. Although several species have been studied, the number of studies is limited for some groups of vertebrates. Wildlife has proven valuable to our understanding of the potential effects of environmental contaminants on human and ecosystem health. Thus, some recommendations for future investigations are provided. This review also creates a baseline for the understanding state of the art in reproductive toxicology studies.
•Exposure to pollution could compromise the male reproductive functions of wild animals.•Studies are concentrated in North America and report EDCs as aquatic pollutants.•Exposure to EDCs reduces androgen levels, impairing reproductive organs and spermatogenesis.•Toxic metal pollution is associated with oxidative damage to reproductive organs and sperm.•Wildlife is important to understanding the effects of pollution on ecosystem health.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Studies have shown that exposure to either environmental toxicants or hyperglycemia causes hepatic injuries. However, it is unclear the extent to which their combined exposure may influence liver ...functions. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate morphological and functional hepatic parameters in diabetic rats exposed to arsenic.
Diabetes was induced in male rats by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection. While healthy and diabetic animals received saline solution (negative control and diabetes control, respectively), other animals received 10 mg/L sodium arsenate (arsenic control and diabetes + arsenic groups, respectively) for 40 days in drinking water. Liver tissue was subjected to antioxidant enzymes analysis, cytokine assay, arsenic determination, and histopathological evaluation. Functional markers of hepatic damage were analyzed using serum samples.
Arsenate exposure reduced the antioxidant enzymes activity in healthy rats, and it worsened the reduction of GST in diabetic animals. Consequently, arsenate-exposed animals showed increased malondialdehyde and carbonyl protein levels, being this increase worsened in diabetes + arsenic animals. Arsenate-exposed groups also showed hepatic inflammatory process with high number of mast cells and TNF-α production mainly in diabetes + arsenic animals. Vascular alterations, such as congestion, bleeding, and hemosiderin deposition were intensified in diabetes + arsenic animals, whereas glycogen storage reduced in these animals.
We concluded that arsenate exposure was able to intensify morphological and functional damages in liver tissue of diabetic animals.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Green tea is a popular drink used for therapeutic purposes to mitigate the consequences of diabetes. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the potential of green tea infusion to ameliorate structural ...and enzymatic damages caused by hyperglycemia in the testis and epididymis of Wistar rats. For that, nondiabetic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (negative control and diabetes control, respectively) received 0.6 mL of water by gavage. Another set of diabetic animals received 100 mg/kg of green tea infusion diluted in 0.6 mL of water/gavage (diabetes + green tea) daily. After 42 days of treatment, the testes and epididymides were removed and processed for histopathological analysis, micromineral determination, and enzymatic assays. The results showed that treatment with green tea infusion preserved the testicular and epididymal histoarchitecture, improving the seminiferous epithelium and the sperm production previously affected by diabetes. Treatment with green tea reduced tissue damages caused by this metabolic condition. Given the severity of hyperglycemia, there was no efficacy of the green tea infusion in maintaining the testosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, and microminerals content. Thus, our findings indicate a protective effect of this infusion on histological parameters, with possible use as a complementary therapy for diabetes.
The Wolffian duct, the proximal end of the mesonephric duct, undergoes non-branching morphogenesis to achieve an optimal length and size for sperm maturation. It is important to examine the ...mechanisms by which the developing mouse Wolffian duct elongates and coils for without proper morphogenesis, male infertility will result. Here we show that highly proliferative epithelial cells divide in a random orientation relative to the elongation axis in the developing Wolffian duct. Convergent extension (CE)-like of cell rearrangements is required for elongating the duct while maintaining a relatively unchanged duct diameter. The Wolffian duct epithelium is planar polarized, which is characterized by oriented cell elongation, oriented cell rearrangements, and polarized activity of regulatory light chain of myosin II. Conditional deletion of protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7), a regulator of planar cell polarity (PCP), from mesoderm results in loss of the PCP characteristics in the Wolffian duct epithelium. Although loss of Ptk7 does not alter cell proliferation or division orientation, it affects CE and leads to the duct with significantly shortened length, increased diameter, and reduced coiling, which eventually results in loss of sperm motility, a key component of sperm maturation. In vitro experiments utilizing inhibitors of myosin II results in reduced elongation and coiling, similar to the phenotype of Ptk7 knockout. This data suggest that PTK7 signaling through myosin II regulates PCP, which in turn ensures CE-like of cell rearrangements to drive elongation and coiling of the Wolffian duct. Therefore, PTK7 is essential for Wolffian duct morphogenesis and male fertility.
•Planar cell polarity and cell rearrangements drive Wolffian duct morphogenesis.•PTK7 regulates PCP and unique cell rearrangements necessary for convergent extension.•Polarized activity of myosin underlies convergent extension cell rearrangements.•Cell division orientation along the ductal axis is random, and not regulated by PTK7.•PTK7 maintains proper WD morphogenesis, which is necessary for sperm maturation.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Arsenic, an environmental contaminant, represents a public health problem worldwide. Studies have shown its association with molecular mechanisms related to cardiomyocytes redox balance. However, the ...microstructure and ultrastructure of cardiac tissue, as well as the activity of its antioxidant defenses front of disturbances in the mineral bioavailability induced by arsenic are still scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate if arsenic exposure might induce structural and ultrastructural damages in cardiac tissue, including pathological remodeling of the parenchyma and stroma. Moreover, its impact on micromineral distribution and antioxidant enzymes activity in heart tissue was also evaluated.
Adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups that received 0, 1 and 10 mg/L sodium arsenite in drinking water for eight weeks. The hearts were collected and subjected to structural and ultrastructural analysis, mineral microanalysis and antioxidant enzymes quantification. Functional markers of cardiac damages were evaluated using serum samples.
Arsenic exposure induced dose-dependent structural and ultrastructural remodeling of cardiac tissue, with parenchyma loss, increase of stroma components, collagen deposition, and pathological damages such as inflammation, sarcomere disorganization, mitochondria degeneration and myofilament dissociation. Moreover, this metalloid was bioaccumulated in the tissue affecting its micromineral content, which resulted in antioxidant imbalance and increased levels of oxidative stress and cardiac markers.
Taken together, our findings indicate that the heart is a potential target to arsenic toxicity, and long-term exposure to this metalloid must be avoided, once it might induce several cardiac tissue pathologies.
•Heart is sensitive to arsenic-mediated toxicity.•Arsenic exposure induces dose-dependent remodeling of cardiac tissue.•Arsenic exposure induces stromal expansion in the heart with marked fibrosis.•Cardiac antioxidant enzymes and mineral content are affected by arsenic exposure.•Arsenic exposure promotes ultrastructural damages in cardiomyocytes.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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