title: Chronic fluoride exposure-induced testicular toxicity is associated with inflammatory response in mice.
abstract: Previous studies have indicated that fluoride (F) can affect testicular toxicity in humans and rodents. However, the mechanism underlying F-induced testicular toxicity is not well understood. This study was conducted to evaluate the sperm quality, testicular histomorphology and inflammatory response in mice followed F exposure. Healthy male mice were randomly divided into four groups with sodium fluoride (NaF) at 0, 25, 50, 100 mg/L in the drinking water for 180 days. At the end of the exposure, significantly increased percentage of spermatozoa abnormality was found in mice exposed to 50 and 100 mg/L NaF. Disorganized spermatogenic cells, vacuoles in seminiferous tubules and loss and shedding of sperm cells were also observed in the NaF treated group. In addition, chronic F exposure increased testicular interleukin-17(IL-17), interleukin-17 receptor C (IL-17RC), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in transcriptional levels, as well as IL-17 and TNF-α levels in translational levels. Interestingly, we observed that F treated group elevated testicular inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA level and nitric oxide (NO) concentration. Taken together, these results indicated that testicular inflammatory response could contribute to chronic F exposure induced testicular toxicity in mice.
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China; School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Ruifen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China; School of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Guangying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
authors.forename: Zilong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: shaolinwang@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Shaolin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China. Electronic address: wangjd53@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Jundong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000633:toxicity*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012969:Sodium Fluoride
keywords: Fluoride; Inflammatory response; Mice; Sperm; Testis