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Oxidative stress and spermatogenesis suppression in the testis of cadmium-treated Bombyx mori larvae

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Abstract

Bombyx mori L. (B. mori) were exposed to cadmium chloride (CdCl2) incorporated in an artificial diet (0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 mg kg−1) throughout the larval stage. Changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as their corresponding messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in the testes of the fifth instar larvae were evaluated. Additionally, spermatozoon deformation in the testes was examined. Upon Cd treatment, the MDA content in the testes was significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Cd-exposed larvae had increased levels of glutathione. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that SOD and CAT activities were positively correlated (R 2 = 0.605, P = 0.017). The changing trends in the mRNA levels of these enzymes were not always consistent with those of enzymatic activities. Alterations in GSH-Px activities and mRNA levels were positively correlated (R 2 = 0.771, P < 0.01). Morphological analysis revealed that Cd deformed and affected the maturation of spermatozoa. Our results collectively support a relationship between Cd and alterations in the levels of antioxidant enzymes in B. mori testes.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31172264), Provincial Key Technology R&D Program of Jiangsu (Project No. BE2011327-1), Technology R&D Program of Suzhou (Project No. SN201131, SYN201206, SYN201508), and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry Biology and Material Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215009, China

    Hongxia Yuan, Fenjv Qin, Weiqiang Guo, Huajie Gu & Aihua Shao

  2. Suzhou National New & Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Kerui Road 1, Suzhou, 215009, China

    Hongxia Yuan

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  1. Hongxia Yuan
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  2. Fenjv Qin
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Correspondence to Hongxia Yuan.

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Yuan, H., Qin, F., Guo, W. et al. Oxidative stress and spermatogenesis suppression in the testis of cadmium-treated Bombyx mori larvae. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 5763–5770 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5818-3

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