title: Chromium induced testicular impairment in relation to adrenocortical activities in adult albino rats.
abstract: The present study investigates the testicular and adrenocortical activities under different doses and durations of chromium (Cr) exposure and their interactions. Mature male Sprague Dawley rats were injected daily with three different doses (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mg/kg bw) of Cr salt (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) intraperitonealy for 13 and 26 days, respectively. The medium (0.4 mg/kg bw/day) and higher dose (0.6 mg/kg bw/day) of Cr significantly (p<0.05) decrease accessory sex organs weight, testicular Delta(5)3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17beta-HSD activities, epididymal sperm count, effective spermatid degeneration, serum testosterone, LH level, testicular catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities while testicular lipid peroxidation, serum FSH, corticosterone level, adrenal weight and adrenal Delta(5)3beta-HSD activity increased significantly than that of control and lower dose (0.2 mg/kg bw/day) Cr exposed animals. Testicular histoarchitechture shows deterioration after critical dose (0.4 mg/kg bw/day) and duration (26 days) of Cr exposure. Cr induced alterations on testicular and adrenocortical activities are dose and duration dependent. Adrecortical hyperactivity accompanied by testicular oxidative stress might have a crucial role for Cr induced male reproductive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology & Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, University College of Science & Technology, Kolkata 700009, West Bengal, India. amark_chandra@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Amar K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: Aparajita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Rituparna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Mahitosh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.forename: Shail K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chaube
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011192:Potassium Dichromate / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013076:Sperm Count; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors