Preventive effects of β-cryptoxanthin against cadmium-induced oxidative stress in the rat testis.
β-cryptoxanthin (CRY), a major carotenoid of potential interest for health, is obtained naturally from orange vegetables and fruits. A few research studies have reported that CRY could decrease oxidative stress and germ cell apoptosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of CRY on acute cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 )-induced oxidative damage in rat testes. For this study, 24 rats were divided into four groups, one of which serves as a control group that received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of corn oil and physiological saline. The other rats were i.p. injected with CRY (10 μg kg-1 ) every 8 h, beginning 8 h before CdCl 2 (2.0 mg kg-1 ) treatment. The pathological and TUNEL findings revealed that CRY ameliorated the Cd-induced testicular histological changes and germ cell apoptosis in the rats. Furthermore, the Cd-induced decrease in the testicular testosterone (T) level was attenuated after CRY administration (P < 0.05). The administration of CRY significantly reversed the Cd-induced increases in the lipid peroxide (LPO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P < 0.01). The testicular antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) were decreased by treatment with Cd alone but were restored by CRY co-treatment. These results demonstrated that the application of CRY can enhance the tolerance of rats to Cd-induced oxidative damage and suggest that it has promised as a pharmacological agent to protect against Cd-induced testicular toxicity.
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Xiao-Ran
XR
Liu
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Yue-Ying
YY
Wang
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Hai-Rui
HR
Fan
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Can-Jie
CJ
Wu
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Ashok
A
Kumar
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Li-Guo
LG
Yang
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D000072743:Beta-Cryptoxanthin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; D019256:Cadmium Chloride