The combined effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and cypermethrin on male reproductive toxicity in rats

Abstract

Titanium nanoparticles and pyrethroid pesticides are now being widely used in industrial, agriculture, and biomedical applications. In recent years, their health safety profiles have aroused concerns among health scientists. This study mainly explored the combined effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) and cypermethrin (CYP) on reproductive toxicity in male rats by gavage for 90 days. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four groups: the control group, the TiO₂NPs group, the CYP group, and the combined titanium dioxide nanoparticles with cypermethrin (TiO₂NPs + CYP) group. The results of biochemical analysis on testicular tissue homogenate showed that TiO₂NPs and CYP mixtures decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) while increasing the activity of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Meanwhile, the results of two-way factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant effect on GSH-Px, CAT, LDH, testicular cell apoptosis, and sperm quality in rats after exposure. Furthermore, the combined exposure group exhibited apoptosis of testicular cells and DNA damage. The results indicated that exposure to a mixture of TiO₂NPs and CYP had adverse effects on the reproductive status of male rats.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Comet assay; Cypermethrin; Male rats; Testis; Titanium dioxide nanoparticles.