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Effects of Sodium Arsenite and Arsenate in Testicular Histomorphometry and Antioxidants Enzymes Activities in Rats

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Abstract

The main source of environmental arsenic exposure in most countries of the world is drinking water in which inorganic forms of arsenic predominate. The present study was aimed to test the impact of two different compounds of inorganic arsenic in histomorphometric and enzymatic parameters in the testes by oral exposition. Adult Wistar male rats were exposed to sodium arsenite and arsenate in drinking water, testing for each chemical form the concentrations of 0.01 and 10 mg/L per 56 days. The animals intoxicated with arsenic, mainly sodium arsenite, showed reduction in the percentage of seminiferous epithelium and in proportion and volume of Leydig cells. Moreover, there was an increase in the percentage of tunica propria, lumen, lymphatic space, blood vessels, and macrophages. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) did not change among the groups. However, the activity of catalase (CAT) decreased in animals exposed to both arsenic compounds. In addition, the higher concentration of arsenic, mainly as sodium arsenite, caused vacuolization in the seminiferous epithelium. The body and testes weight as well as testosterone concentration remained unchanged among the groups. In conclusion, exposition to arsenic, mainly as sodium arsenite, caused alteration in histomorphometric parameters and antioxidant defense system in the testes.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG—APQ-04083-10) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Av. P.H. Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-000, Brazil

    Ana Cláudia Ferreira Souza, Sarah Cozzer Marchesi, Graziela Domingues de Almeida Lima, Rafael Penha Ferraz, Felipe Couto Santos, Sérgio Luis Pinto da Matta & Mariana Machado-Neves

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  1. Ana Cláudia Ferreira Souza
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  2. Sarah Cozzer Marchesi
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Correspondence to Mariana Machado-Neves.

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Souza, A.C.F., Marchesi, S.C., Domingues de Almeida Lima, G. et al. Effects of Sodium Arsenite and Arsenate in Testicular Histomorphometry and Antioxidants Enzymes Activities in Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 171, 354–362 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0523-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0523-0

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