title: Ethanol exposure during peripubertal period increases the mast cell number and impairs meiotic and spermatic parameters in adult male rats.
abstract: Puberty is characterized by psychosomatic alterations, whereas chronic ethanol consumption is associated with morphophysiological changes in the male reproductive system. The purpose of this study was to show the toxic effects on testis and epididymal morphophysiology after ethanol administration during peripuberty. To this end, male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: ethanol (E) group: received a 2 g dose of ethanol/kg in 25% (v/v); and control (C) group: received the same volume of filtered water; both were treated by gavage for 54 days. On the 55th day of the experiment, epididymis, and testis were collected for sperm count, histopathology, mast cell count, and morphometry. The vas deferens was collected for sperm motility analysis. The femur and testicle were used for cytogenetic analysis. Ethanol exposure caused reduction in daily sperm production (DSP) and in sperm motility, multinucleated cells or those having no chromosomal content, and late chromosome migrations. No changes were observed in the number of chromosomes in the mitotic analysis. However, some alterations could be seen in meiocytes at different stages of cell division. Stereological analysis of the epididymis indicated reorganization of its component in the 2A and 5A/B regions. The epididymal cauda had greater recruitment, and both degranulated and full mast cells showed an increase in the initial segment, in the ethanol group. In conclusion, ethanol administration during the pubertal phase affects epididymis and testis in adult rats, as indicated mainly by our new findings related to mast cell number and meiotic impact. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:541-549, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paula Franco Punhagui
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Vieira
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.|Department of General Pathology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gláucia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eloisa Munhoz De Lion Siervo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: da Rosa
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Biological Sciences Center, State University of Londrina-UEL, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glaura
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scantamburlo Alves Fernandes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: epididymis; ethanol; mast cell; meiotic; testis