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Testicular effect of a mixture of 2-methoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol in rats

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Abstract

Background

2-Methoxyethanol (ME) and 2-ethoxyethanol (EE) represent a large group of chemicals which are used separately or as mixtures. These compounds exert multidirectional toxic effects. The present studies aimed to demonstrate the effects of ME and EE alone and their mixture on the reproductive organs in the rats.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were treated subcutaneously with ME and EE alone (1.25–5.0 mM/kg/day) or with their mixture (1:1) for 4 weeks. After completion of the experiment, the testes, epididymides, and prostate were weighed. In post-mitochondrial supernatant of the testes, the level of total protein, non-protein and protein sulfhydryl groups, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant status, and glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were determined.

Results

Exposure to ME alone resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the organ weights, the total protein, non-protein and protein sulfhydryl groups. EE alone led to less marked alterations. Co-exposure to ME and EE caused alterations similar as in the rats treated with ME alone.

Conclusions

Marked testicular atrophy, decrease in epididymis and prostate weights are predominant effects of the repeated exposure to relatively low doses of ME and EE. A decrease in the total protein level, and protein sulfhydryl groups may be responsible for testicular atrophy. A significant depletion of non-protein sulfhydryl groups and occasionally elevated glutathione peroxidase activity may indicate that ME and EE resulted in disturbances of pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance. The study suggests that testicular toxicity in male rats co-exposed to ME and EE is mainly caused by the former compound.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemical Toxicology, Chair of Toxicology, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland

    Beata Starek-Świechowicz, Bogusława Budziszewska & Andrzej Starek

  2. Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland

    Bogusława Budziszewska

  3. Institute of Psychology, University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland

    Wiesław Szymczak

Authors
  1. Beata Starek-Świechowicz
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  2. Wiesław Szymczak
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  3. Bogusława Budziszewska
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  4. Andrzej Starek
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Correspondence to Beata Starek-Świechowicz.

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Starek-Świechowicz, B., Szymczak, W., Budziszewska, B. et al. Testicular effect of a mixture of 2-methoxyethanol and 2-ethoxyethanol in rats. Pharmacol. Rep 67, 289–293 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2014.09.011

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2014.09.011

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