Effects of ethanol ingestion on sperm monosaccharides and fertility.
Chronic alcohol abuse is often associated with reproductive disorders. Sperm monosaccharides play an indispensable role in sperm-egg interactions and fertilization. Ethanol (3 g/kg body weight as 25%, v/v) was given by gastric intubation twice daily for 30 days while in another group, rats which had been treated with ethanol were withdrawn from treatment for a further period of 30 days, in order to assess the reversibility of the ethanol-induced effects. Epididymal ethanol content, sperm monosaccharides and the fertility of ethanol treated and ethanol withdrawn rats were assessed. Ethanol ingestion caused a significant decrease in sperm monosaccharides suggesting defective glycosylation of sperm surface proteins. Sperm monosaccharides and fertility were returned to normal following the withdrawal of ethanol. Ethanol-induced changes in sperm monosaccharides may be one of the reasons for the reduced fertility of ethanol treated rats.
Srikanth
V
V
Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM, Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India.
Aruldhas
M M
MM
Srinivasan
N
N
Govindarajulu
P
P
Balasubramanian
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D009005:Monosaccharides; D000431:Ethanol