Impact of electronic-cigarette refill liquid on rat testis.
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are becoming the fashionable alternative to decrease tobacco smoking, although their impact on health has not been fully assessed yet. The present study was designed to compare the impact of e-cigarette refill liquid (e-liquid) without nicotine to e-liquid with nicotine on rat testis. For this purpose, e-liquid with nicotine and e-liquid without nicotine (0.5 mg/kg of body weight) were administered to adult male Wistar rats via the intraperitoneally route during four weeks. Results showed that e-liquid with or without nicotine leads to diminished sperm density and viability, such as a decrease in testicular lactate dehydrogenase activity and testosterone level. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis identified a reduction in cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450 scc) and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17βHSD) mRNA level, two key enzymes of steroidogenesis. Following e-liquid exposure, histopathological examination showed alterations in testis tissue marked by germ cells desquamation, disorganization of the tubular contents of testis and cell deposits in seminiferous tubules. Finally, analysis of oxidative stress status pointed an outbreak of antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and gluthatione-S-transferase, as well as an important increase in sulfhydril group content. Taken together, these results indicate that e-liquid per se induces toxicity in Wistar rat testis, similar to e-liquid with nicotine, by disrupting oxidative balance and steroidogenesis.
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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El Golli
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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Rahali
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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Jrad-Lamine
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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Dallagi
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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Jallouli
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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Bdiri
b INSERM US32, Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital , Bicêtre , France .
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Ba
c INSERM U1176, Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital , Bicêtre , France , and.
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Lebret
c INSERM U1176, Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital , Bicêtre , France , and.
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Rosa
d Laboratory of Histology-Embryology and Cell Biology , Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar , Tunis , Tunisia.
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El May
a Department of Biology , LMBA (Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Molécules Actives), Faculty of Sciences, El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia .
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El Fazaa
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D013739:Testosterone; D009538:Nicotine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
e-Liquid; histopathology; oxidative stress; reprotoxicity; steroidogenesis