title: Toxicity of Gossypol from Cottonseed Cake to Sheep Ovarian Follicles.
abstract: Gossypol, a polyphenol compound produced by cotton plant, has proven reproductive toxicity, but the effects of gossypol on sheep ovaries are unknown. This study was aimed to determine the in vitro and in vivo effects of gossypol on the ovarian follicles of sheep. This trial was divided into two experiments. In the first one, we used twelve non-pregnant, nulliparous, Santa Inês crossbred ewes, which were randomly distributed into two equal groups and fed diets with and without cottonseed cake. Feed was offered at 1.5% of the animal's body weight for 63 days. The concentrations of total and free gossypol in the cottonseed cake were 3.28 mg/g and 0.11 mg/g, respectively. Throughout the trial period, no animal showed clinical signs of toxicity and no effects on body weight were observed. However, there was a significantly lower number of viable ovarian follicles (20.6%) and higher number of atretic follicles (79.4%) in the gossypol-fed sheep compared to the control (85.1 and 34.9%, respectively). These findings were observed at all stages of follicular development. In the second experiment, eight ovaries from slaughterhouse were cultured with different concentrations of gossypol acetic acid (0, 5, 10 and 20 μg/mL) for 24 hours or seven days. The in vitro action of gossypol resulted in a significant decrease in viable ovarian follicles, especially the primary and transition follicles, and a significant increase in the number of atretic follicles after 24 hours of culture. These follicles were greatly affected when cultured with gossypol for seven days. It is concluded that gossypol present in cotton seeds directly acts on ovarian follicles in sheep to increase atresia.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota 572, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Carlos Lopes
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Câmara
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota 572, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivana Cristina Nunes
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota 572, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Augusto Cordeiro
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Av. Francisco Mota 572, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvano Alves
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: de Paiva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30123-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marília Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinárias, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 30123-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Benito
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soto-Blanco
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D003369:Cottonseed Oil / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006072:Gossypol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep; D034561:Sheep, Domestic
chemical_list: D003369:Cottonseed Oil; D006072:Gossypol