title: Sperm motility and morphology changes in rats exposed to cadmium and diazinon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Humans are ubiquitously exposed to multiple environmental contaminants. Consequences of combined action on the reproductive system remain unknown. This study aimed to assess single and joint effects of cadmium and diazinon exposure on sperm quality parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male adult Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups of ten animals each. Group A was used as a control, animals from group B were exposed to cadmium (30 mg/L), rats from group C were administered with diazinon (40 mg/L), and rats from group D were exposed simultaneously to cadmium (30 mg/L) and diazinon (40 mg/L) via drinking water for 90 days. Sperm morphology and motility were evaluated using a bright field microscope and a computer-assisted semen analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of motile spermatozoa and morphologically normal sperm was markedly reduced in rats from the group B. Rats from the C group showed an increase in velocity parameters, amplitude of lateral head displacement, decrease in beat-cross frequency, and an increase in abnormal sperm morphology. Simultaneous coexposure to cadmium and diazinon increased distance and velocity parameters, and amplitude of lateral head displacement. Reductions were observed in straightness, linearity, wobble, and beat-cross frequency. The decreased normal sperm morphology rates were related to defects of the sperm tail.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to cadmium and diazinon at relatively low doses impairs sperm quality and can reduce male fertility. Cadmium and diazinon caused significant changes on sperm morphology with varying effects on motility patterns. These parameters were significantly higher in the group D as compared to the group C. The findings have important implications for reproductive risk assessment of combined exposures to multiple chemicals.
authors: Department of Botany and Genetics, Constantine the Philosopher University, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Adamkovicova
authors: Department of Veterinary Disciplines, Slovak University of Agriculture, 949 76, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Toman
authors: Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Constantine the Philosopher University, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Martiniakova
authors: Department of Botany and Genetics, Constantine the Philosopher University, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Radoslav
authors: R
authors: Omelka
authors: Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Constantine the Philosopher University, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Ramona
authors: R
authors: Babosova
authors: Department of Botany and Genetics, Constantine the Philosopher University, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Vladimira
authors: V
authors: Krajcovicova
authors: Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August University, 37 073, Göttingen, Germany. birgit.grosskopf@biologie.uni-goettingen.de.
authors: Birgit
authors: B
authors: Grosskopf
authors: Department of Animal Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture, 949 76, Nitra, Slovakia.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Massanyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D003976:Diazinon / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D003976:Diazinon
keywords: Cadmium; Diazinon; Morphology; Motility; Rat; Sperm