[Effects of the extracts of condensate, particulates and semivolatile organic compounds from gasoline exhaust on oxidative damage and genotoxicity in testicles of rats].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of the extracts of condensate, particulates and semivolatile organic compounds from gasoline engine exhaust (EGE) on oxidative damage and DNA single strand break in testicles of rats.


METHODS
Rats were exposed to the organic extracts of EGE at the concentrations of 0, 5.6, 16.7, and 50.0 L/kg body weight via intratracheal instillation, once a week for a month. The body weight and testicle weight were measured, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyl protein (CP), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in testicles tissue were determined. In addition, the DNA single strand break was examined by comet assay.


RESULTS
The body weight increment and the absolute and relative weight of the testicles in the group rats treated with various concentrations of EGE were not significant in comparison with those of control group rats. In comparison with the solvent group, the contents of MDA and CP significantly increased at the concentrations of 16.7 and 50.0 L/kg EGE (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the activities of SOD decreased at tested groups (P < 0.05). But for GSH-Px, the activity reductions were significant only at the concentration of 50.0 L/kg EGE (P < 0.05). In comet assay, at doses of 16.7 and 50.0 L/kg EGE, the rates of tailed cells were (50.06% +/- 7.62%) and (83.25% +/- 8.97%) respectively, the differences were significant in comparison with the solvent group (P < 0.05). However, statistical differences in tail lengths were observed only at the dose of 50.0 L/kg EGE in comparison with the controls (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gasoline engine exhaust could enhance oxidative damage and induce DNA single strand break in testicles of rats.
West China School of Public Health,Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wangjun
W
Che
Mei
M
Wu
Zunzhen
Z
Zhang
Li
L
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D053904:DNA Breaks, Single-Stranded / Q000187:drug effects*; D005742:Gasoline / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*
D005742:Gasoline; D009153:Mutagens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds