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Lycopene Alleviates Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Induced Testicular Toxicity by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Mice

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Abstract

Purpose

The research was carried out to investigate the possible ameliorative effect of lycopene on TiO2 NPs-induced male reproductive toxicity and explore the possible mechanism.

Methods

Ninety-six healthy male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were equally divided into eight groups (control group, 50 mg/kg TiO2 NPs group, 5 mg/kg LYC group, 20 mg/kg LYC group, 40 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO2 NPs + 5 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO2 NPs + 20 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO2 NPs + 40 mg/kg LYC group), and the mice were treated by intragastric administration every day for 30 days in this research. Sperm parameters, testicular histopathology, oxidant and antioxidant enzymes, and cell apoptosis-related protein expression in the testicular tissue were analyzed.

Results

The results showed that TiO2 NPs exposure significantly decreased sperm count and motility, and TiO2 NPs also increased sperm malformation in the epididymis; these characteristics were improved when co-administration with LYC. Testicular histopathological lesions like disorder of germ cells arrange, detachment, atrophy, and vacuolization were observed after TiO2 NPs exposure, and these abnormalities were effectively ameliorated by co-administration with LYC. Oxidative stress was induced by TiO2 NPs exposure as evidenced by increased the level of MDA and decreased the activity of SOD as well as the level of anti-O2−, and these alterations were effectively prevented by co-administration with LYC. LYC also alleviated TiO2 NPs-induced germ cell apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, as shown by the upregulation of Bcl-2, the downregulation of Bax, Cleaved Caspase 3, and Cleaved Caspase 9.

Conclusion

LYC could ameliorate TiO2 NPs-induced testicular damage via inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis, which could be used to alleviate the testicular toxicity associated with TiO2 NPs intake.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 21966027, 32060125), the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region Graduate Student Innovation Project (XJ2019G092), and the Open Sharing Fund for the Large-scale Instruments and Equipment of Shihezi University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832002, Xinjiang, China

    Xiaojia Meng, Li Li, Hongmei An, Yaxin Deng, Chunmei Ling, Tianjiao Lu, Guanling Song & Yan Wang

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  1. Xiaojia Meng
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  2. Li Li
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  3. Hongmei An
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  4. Yaxin Deng
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  7. Guanling Song
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  8. Yan Wang
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Contributions

Methodology and data curation: Xiaojia Meng, Li Li, and Hongmei An. Formal analysis and writing, and original draft preparation: Xiaojia Meng, Yaxin Deng, Chunmei Ling, Tianjiao Lu, Guanling Song, and Yan Wang. Funding acquisition, review, and editing: Guanling Song.

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Correspondence to Guanling Song or Yan Wang.

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The study protocols were approved by the Animal Experiments Ethical Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of medical college of Shihezi University (Approval No. A2019-156–01).

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Xiaojia Meng and Li Li contributed equally to this work

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Meng, X., Li, L., An, H. et al. Lycopene Alleviates Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Induced Testicular Toxicity by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Mice. Biol Trace Elem Res 200, 2825–2837 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02881-1

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