title: Supplementation with quercetin attenuates 4-nitrophenol-induced testicular toxicity in adult male mice.
abstract: The beneficial effects of quercetin on reproductive damage elicited by 4-nitrophenol (PNP) were studied in adult male mice. A six-week treatment of weekly intraperitoneal injections of PNP (50 mg/kg) resulted in severe damage to the seminiferous tubules, a remarkable increase in both hydroxyl radical and malondiadehyde production, and notably decreased glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities. Moreover, PNP treatment induced germ cell apoptosis, inhibited Bcl-xl expression, and then activated Bax expression and the caspase-3 enzyme. Exposure to PNP also increased XBP-1 and HO-1 mRNAs levels. However, simultaneous supplementation with quercetin (75 mg/kg) attenuated the toxicity induced by PNP through renewal of the antioxidant enzyme's status, alleviating apoptosis by regulating the expressions of Bax and Bcl-xl, XBP-1 and HO-1mRNAs, and the regulation of caspase-3 activity. Taken together, these findings indicated that the antioxidant quercetin displays a potential preventive effect on PNP-induced oxidative damage in mouse testes and may represent an efficient supplement to attenuate reproductive toxicity from environmental toxicants in order to ensure reproductive health and sperm production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.forename: Longlong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Caiqiao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000071701:Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071717:X-Box Binding Protein 1; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C494828:Bax protein, rat; C494813:Bcl2l1 protein, rat; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009596:Nitrophenols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000071701:Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071717:X-Box Binding Protein 1; C000605544:Xbp1 protein, mouse; C000605545:Xbp1 protein, rat; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D011794:Quercetin; D020169:Caspases; C024836:4-nitrophenol
keywords: 4-nitrophenol; apoptosis; germ cell; oxidative damage; quercetin