title: Impact of lycopene on epididymal androgen and estrogen receptors' expression in polychlorinated biphenyls-exposed rat.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the androgen (AR) and estrogen receptors' (ER) expression in epididymis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)-exposed rats. The rats were assigned to groups. Group I controls were treated with corn oil 80 µL/d intraperitoneally (ip), group II were treated with 2 mg/kg/d of A1254 ip; and group III were treated with 2 mg/kg/d of A1254 ip along with simultaneous oral supplementation of 4 mg/kg/d lycopene . The treatment was given daily for 30 days. After 24 hours of treatment, the rats were killed, and the epididymal regions (caput, corpus, and cauda) were dissected out, weighed, and prepared to estimate the levels of sialic acid, glyceryl phosphoryl choline (GPC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and lipid peroxidation (LPO). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of AR, ERα, and ERβ were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and ERα and ERβ protein expressions were analyzed by immunoblotting. The toxicity of PCBs was also confirmed by histology. There was a marked decrease in epididymal weight, sialic acid, and GPC levels, while oxidative stress markers H2O2 and LPO were increased in PCBs-treated rats. The mRNA and protein expression of AR, ERα, and ERβ were decreased in PCBs-treated groups, and the histology confirms the cytoplasmic damage in the regions of caput, corpus, and cauda in PCBs-treated rats. Simultaneous supplementation of lycopene to PCBs-exposed rats resulted in significant decrease in the oxidative stress markers as that of control, while the AR, ERα, and ERβ gene expressions were near to control. The results suggest that lycopene has ameliorative effect against PCBs-induced toxicity in epididymis.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Endocrinology, Dr ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Manickavel Vinoth
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Kandaswamy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Selvakumar
authors.forename: Gunasekaran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krishnamoorthy
authors.forename: Soundarrajan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Revathy
authors.forename: Perumal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elumalai
authors.forename: Jagadeesan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arunakaran
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine) / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine); D002338:Carotenoids; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid; D000077276:Lycopene
keywords: androgen receptor; epididymis; estrogen receptor; lycopene; polychlorinated biphenyl