title: Melamine negatively affects testosterone synthesis in mice.
abstract: Several studies have found that melamine causes damage to the testes, epididymis and sperm. However, few studies have investigated the effect of melamine on the synthesis of testosterone, which plays an import role in testicular development and spermatogenesis. In present study, mice were orally administrated with 2, 10 or 50mg/kg of melamine for 28days. In these groups, various abnormalities were observed including disruption of the seminiferous tubule structure, an increased necrotic germ cells and sperm abnormalities, and a reduced sperm count. Melamine exposure also decreased the level of serum testosterone and levels of testicular StAR, P450scc and 17β-HSD. In addition, melamine exposure reduced the number of Leydig cells. Taken together, these results indicate that melamine exposure reduces the level of testosterone through down-regulation of StAR and testosterone synthetic enzyme expression and also a decreased number of Leydig cells. This may further affect testicular development and lead to sperm damage.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jiarui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yinan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xinchen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qiling
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Endong
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: lyj@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yingjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012117:Resins, Synthetic / Q000633:toxicity; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014227:Triazines / Q000633:toxicity*; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012117:Resins, Synthetic; D014227:Triazines; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; C011907:melamine
keywords: Leydig cell; Melamine; Steroidogenesis; Testis; Testosterone