Immobilization stress exacerbates arsenic-induced reprotoxic effects in adult rats

Kaduru Venkaiah; Thathapudi Daveedu; Papisetty Prathima; Ramanadhapuram Pavani; Sadepalli Sukeerthi; Malapati Hanuma Reddy; Jangampalli Adi Pradeepkiran; Sri Bhashyam Sainath

doi:10.1093/toxres/tfac022

Immobilization stress exacerbates arsenic-induced reprotoxic effects in adult rats

Toxicol Res (Camb). 2022 May 9;11(3):426-436. doi: 10.1093/toxres/tfac022. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Kaduru Venkaiah¹, Thathapudi Daveedu¹, Papisetty Prathima¹, Ramanadhapuram Pavani¹, Sadepalli Sukeerthi¹, Malapati Hanuma Reddy², Jangampalli Adi Pradeepkiran³, Sri Bhashyam Sainath¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore 524 320, India.
² Department of Marine Biology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore 524 320, India.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University of Health Science Centre, Lubbock, TX 79415, USA.

Abstract

Objective: The central objective of this study was to investigate the cumulative effects restraint stress and sodium arsenite on reproductive health in male rats.

Methods: Healthy male Wistar rats were allocated into 4 groups (n = 8). Animals in group 1 served as controls and did not subjected to any stress. Rats in groups 2, 3, and 4 were subjected to either restraint stress (5 h/day) or maintained on arsenic (25 ppm) via drinking water or both for 65 days. After completion of the experimental period, all the rats were analyzed for selected reproductive endpoints.

Results: Restraint stress or sodium arsenite treatment increased serum corticosterone levels, reduced testicular daily sperm count, epididymal sperm viability, motility, membrane integrity, and decreased testicular steroidogenic enzymes such as 3β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases associated with reduced serum testosterone levels, deteriorated testicular architecture, and reduced activity levels of testicular superoxide dismutase and catalase accompanied by elevated lipid peroxidation levels. In rats subjected to restraint stress and sodium arsenite, a significant decrease in selected sperm qualitative and quantitative parameters, serum testosterone levels were observed as compared with rats subjected to sodium arsenite alone. A significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation with a concomitant decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes was observed in the testis of rats subjected to both restraint stress and sodium arsenite treatment as compared with sodium arsenite alone intoxicated rats. Surprisingly, serum corticosterone levels were significantly elevated in rats following both stressors as compared with arsenic alone treated rats. Analysis of atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed that the accumulation of arsenic in the testis of arsenic-treated and arsenic plus immobilization stress groups was significant as compared with controls.

Conclusions: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that deterioration of male reproductive health could be accelerated in arsenic intoxicated rats following restraint stress.

Keywords: arsenic; immobilization stress; rats; spermatogenesis; testicular steroidogenesis.