title: Protective effect of quercetin on the reproductive toxicity of 4-nitrophenol in diesel exhaust particles on male embryonic chickens.
abstract: The 4-nitrophenol (PNP) in diesel exhaust particles (DEP) has been identified as a vasodilator and is a known degradation product of the insecticide parathion. In this study, the protective effect of quercetin, a potent oxygen free radical scavenger and metal chelator, against the oxidative damage of PNP on cultured testicular cells was studied in male embryonic chickens. Testicular cells from Day 18 embryos were cultured in serum-free McCoy's 5A medium and challenged with quercetin (1.0 microg/ml) alone or in combinations with PNP (10(-7)-10(-5) M) for 48 h. The oxidative damage was estimated by measuring cell viability, content of malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidation (GSH-Px) activity. The results showed that exposure to PNP (10(-5) M) induced condensed nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasm and a decrease in testicular cell viability and spermatogonial cell number. Exposure to PNP induced lipid peroxidation by elevation of the content of MDA. Exposure to PNP also decreased GSH-Px activity and SOD activity. However, simultaneous supplementation with quercetin restored these parameters to the same levels as the control. Consequently, PNP induced oxidative stress in spermatogonial cells, and dietary quercetin may attenuate the reproductive toxicity of PNP to restore the intracellular antioxidant system in the testicular cells of embryonic chickens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Caiqiao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taneda
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Akira K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taya
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009596:Nitrophenols; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D011794:Quercetin; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C022616:thiazolyl blue; C024836:4-nitrophenol