Abstract
Biochemical estimation of prostatic acid phosphatase and fructose content in accessory sex glands, along with radioimmunoassay of plasma gonadotrophins (FSH and LH) and testosterone were performed in Wistar rats following treatment with quinalphos, an organophosphorus insecticide, for 13 and 26 days. Prostatic acid phosphatase activity and fructose content of the accessory sex glands, and plasma levels of testosterone and FSH were significantly lower in all rats treated with quinalphos. However, the degree of inhibition was more extensive in the 26 day-treatment group who, in addition also exhibited a significant reduction in relative weights of the testes and accessory sex organs, and plasma levels of LH. All these adverse effects of quinalphos were prevented when exogenous HCG was administered in concomitant with the insecticide for 26 days. These results suggest that quinalphos may exert a suppressive effect on the functional activity of accessory sex glands by decreasing testicular testosterone production following inhibition of pituitary gonadotrophins release.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Auletta FJ, Caldwell VB, Hamilton G (1974) Androgen, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. In: Jaffe BM, Behrman HR (eds) Methods of hormone radioimmunoassay. Academic Press, NY, p 359
Baillie AH, Ferguson MM, McHart D (1966) Development in steroid histochemistry. Academic Press, NY
Baimuradov TV, Khaitov WR (1981) Effect of organophosphorus pesticide on the reproductive function of animals. Tr. Uznivi (RUSS) 31:6–9
Bessey OA, Lowry OH, Brock MJ (1946) A method for rapid determination of alkaline phosphatase with five cubic milimeter of serum. J Biol Chem 164:321–329
Chatterjee S, Ray A, Bagchi P, Deb C (1988) Suppression of testicular steroidogenesis in rats by the organochlorine insecticide aldrin. Environ Pollut 51:87–94
Chatterjee S, Ray A, Ghosh S, Bhattacharya K, Pakrashi A, Deb C (1988a) Effect of aldrin on spermatogenesis, plasma gonadotrophins and testosterone and testicular testosterone in rat. J Endocrinology 119:75–81
Deane HW, Rubin BB, Driks EC, Lobel NL, Liepsner G (1962) Trophoblastic giant cells in placenta of rat and mice and their probable role in steroid hormone production. Endocrinology 70:407–419
Deb C, Mukherjee R, Kaul P, Mallick N (1977) Pentose phosphate pathway and testicular steroidogenesis in male rats following oxythiamine treatment. Endokrinologie 67:1
Dizerega GS, Sherins RJ (1981) In: Burger H, De Kretser D (eds) The Testis, Raven Press, NY, p 127
Eik-NES KB (1962) Secretion of testosterone in anesthetized dogs. Endocrinology 71:101–106
Ewing LL, Wing TY, Cochran RC, Kromann N, Zirkin BR (1983) Effect of luteinizing hormone on Leydig cell structure and testosterone secretion. Endocrinology 112:1763–1769
Greenwood FC, Hunter WM, Glover JS (1963) The preparation of131I-labelled human growth hormone of high specific activity. Biochem J 89:114–123
Hall PF, Eik-Nes KB (1963) The influence of gonadotrophinsin vivo upon the biosynthesis of androgen by homogenate of rat testis. Biochem Biophys Acta 71:438–441
Huckins C (1965) Duration of spermatogenesis in pre and post pubertal Wistar rat. Anat Rec 151:364
Khaitov RKh, Shamsiev BM (1982) Effect of chlorophos on the reproductive function of cattle. Tr. Uznivi (RUSS) 32:127–130
Krause W, Homola S (1974) Alterations of the seminiferous epithelium and the Leydig cells of the rat testis after the application of dichlorvos (DDVP). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 11:429–433
Mann T, Pearson U (1950) In: Mann T (ed) The biochemistry of semen. John Wiley and Sons. NY, p 134
Mann T (1954) In: Mann T (ed) The biochemistry of semen. John Wiley and Sons, NY, p 17
Ostrowki W (1980) In: Mills ES, Hefez ESF (eds) Male accessory sex glands biology and pathology 4. Human prostatic acid phosphatase. Physiochemical and catalytic properties. Elsevier North-Holland and Biochemical Press, NY, p 1197
Price D, Williams-Ashman HG (1961) The accessory reproductive glands of mammals. In: I Young WC (ed) Sex and internal secretions, 3rd ed., William and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, USA, p 336
Rattner BA, Robert NC, Ottinger MA (1986) Depression of plasma luteinizing hormone concentration in quail by the anticholinesterase insecticide parathion. Comp Biochem Physiol 83c:451–453
Ray A, Chatterjee S, Bagchi P, Das TK, Deb C (1988) Effect of quinalphos of testicular steroidogenesis in rats. Andrologia 20:163–168
Rind GL, Guseppe De, Venture U (1963) Distribution and phosphorylation of oxythiamine in rat tissue. J Nutr 81:147–154
Roe JH, Papdopoulas NMJ (1954) The determination of Fructose-6-PO4 and fructose 1–6-diphosphate. J Biol Chem 210:703–707
Samuels LT, Helmreich B Laster, Reich H (1951) An enzyme in endocrine tissues which oxidizes Δ5-3β-hydroxy steroid to α,β-unsaturated ketone. Science 113:490–491
Saxena AK, Sarin K (1979) Effect of repeated administration of thimet (phorate) on testes of the desert gerbil,Merioness hurriane, Jerdon: Biochemical and histopathological studies. Ind J Exp Biol 17:863–865
Torresani T, Schuster E, Illig R (1982)In vitro Leydig cell assay: Effect of pituitary hormones and plasma of different origin on testosterone production. Ann NY Acad Sci 383:504–506
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ray, A., Chatterjee, S., Ghosh, S. et al. Suppressive effect of quinalphos on the activity of accessory sex glands and plasma concentrations of gonadotrophins and testosterone in rats. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 21, 383–387 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01060360
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01060360