Single administration of butylparaben induces spermatogenic cell apoptosis in prepubertal rats.
Parabens are p-hydroxybenzoic acid ester compounds widely used as preservatives in foods, cosmetics, toiletries and pharmaceuticals. Some parabens, including butylparaben, exert an estrogenic activity as determined by in vitro estrogen receptor assay and in vivo uterotrophic assay, and adversely affect endocrine secretion and male reproductive function. We conducted a research study to evaluate the acute effects of butylparaben on testicular tissues of prepubertal rats. Three-week-old male rats (n=8) were given a single dose of 1000mg/kg butylparaben. The rats were sacrificed under anesthesia at 3, 6 and 24h after administration, and their testes were collected for histopathological examination. The study revealed progressive detachment and sloughing of spermatogenic cells into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules at 3h, and this effect was enhanced at 6h after administration. Thin seminiferous epithelia and wide tubular lumina were seen at 24h in the butylparaben-treated group, compared to the control. In order to clarify whether sloughed spermatogenic cells underwent apoptosis, TUNEL assay was carried out. We found a significant increase in the number of apoptotic spermatogenic cells in all the treated groups, compared to the controls and a maximal number of apoptotic cells were detected at 6h after administration. In semithin sections, apoptotic cells were easily detected by their prominent basophilia and condensed chromatin, mainly found in spermatocytes. Ultrastructurally, the condensed chromatin and shrunken cytoplasm and nucleus, hallmarks of apoptotic cell death, were observed in butylparaben-treated groups. These observations lead us to postulate that butylparaben, similar to other estrogenic compounds, also induces spermatogenic cell apoptosis.
Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal, Science, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh; Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Mohammad Shah
MS
Alam
Laboratory of Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Seiichiroh
S
Ohsako
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Yoshiakira
Y
Kanai
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan. Electronic address: amkuroh@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
Masamichi
M
Kurohmaru
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D010226:Parabens / Q000633:toxicity*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D010226:Parabens; C038091:butylparaben
Butylparaben; Prepubertal stage; Rat; Spermatogenic cell apoptosis