title: Protective Effect of Selenium on Aflatoxin B1-Induced Testicular Toxicity in Mice.
abstract: Aflatoxins have been considered as one of the major risk factors of male infertility, and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most highly toxic and prevalent member of the aflatoxins family. Selenium (Se), an essential nutritional trace mineral for normal testicular development and male fertility, has received extensive intensive on protective effects of male reproductive system due to its potential antioxidant and activating testosterone synthesis. To investigate the protective effect of Se on AFB1-induced testicular toxicity, the mice were orally administered with AFB1 (0.75 mg/kg) and Se (0.2 mg/kg or 0.4 mg/kg) for 45 days. We found that that Se elevated testes index, sperm functional parameters (concentration, malformation, and motility), and the level of serum testosterone in AFB1-exposed mice. Moreover, our results showed that Se attenuated the AFB1-induced oxidative stress and the reduction of testicular testosterone synthesis enzyme protein expression such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), P450 side-chain cleavage (P450scc), and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) in AFB1-exposed mice. These results demonstrated that Se conferred protection against AFB1-induced testicular toxicity and can be attributed to its antioxidant and increased testosterone level by stimulating protein expression of StAR and testosterone synthetic enzymes.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
authors.forename: Feibo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China. liyanfei@neau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130112, China. zhuyanzhu@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Yanzhu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005506:Food Contamination; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055101:Semen Analysis; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D020011:Protective Agents; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D013739:Testosterone; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D012643:Selenium; D018038:Sodium Selenite
keywords: Aflatoxin B1; Oxidative stress; Selenium; Testicular toxicity; Testosterone