Influence of iodine in excess on seminiferous tubular structure and epididymal sperm character in male rats

• Published in: Environmental toxicology 2017-06, Vol.32 (6), p.1823-1835
• Main Authors: Chandra, Amar K, Chakraborty, Arijit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acridine orange; Animals; Annexin A5 - metabolism; Annexin V; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; cell cycle; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Membrane - ultrastructure; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Depolarization; DNA; DNA fragmentation; DNA Fragmentation - drug effects; Electron microscopy; Epididymis - drug effects; Epididymis - metabolism; Epididymis - ultrastructure; Fertility; Flow Cytometry; Fluoresceins; Fluorescence; Integrity; Iodine; Iodine - toxicity; Male; Membrane potential; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - drug effects; Mitochondria; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Propidium iodide; Public health; Rats; Rats, Wistar; ROS; Scanning electron microscopy; SEM; Seminiferous tubule; Seminiferous Tubules - drug effects; Seminiferous Tubules - metabolism; Seminiferous Tubules - ultrastructure; Sperm; Spermatozoa; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - metabolism; Spermatozoa - ultrastructure; Staining; Testis - drug effects; Testis - metabolism; Testis - ultrastructure; Ultrastructure; Viability
• ISSN: 1520-4081; 1522-7278
• DOI: 10.1002/tox.22405

Excess iodine induced public health problems are now emerging in many iodine sufficient regions for indiscriminate intake of iodine through various iodized products. It has been reported that excess iodine can disrupt overall male reproductive physiology by generating oxidative stress in the testis. However, information on the possible effect of iodine in excess on spermatozoa found less. In the present investigation flow cytometric techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to study the spermatozoal functional as well as structural status under the influence of excess iodine; generation of ROS in the spermatozoa as evident by DCFDA, altered acrosomal integrity as observed by fluorescence lectin staining method and depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) noticed by JC‐1 staining. Ultrastructure of seminiferous tubule after excess iodine exposure indicated severe deterioration of seminiferous tubular surface architecture. Significant increase in spermatozoal DNA fragmentation and apoptotic sperms were found by acridine orange and Annexin V, respectively, however the plasma membrane integrity/viability was decreased as evident by propidium iodide staining in various incremental doses and durations under iodine excess. The study reveals that excess iodine could cause apoptosis of spermatozoal cells by inducing ROS that ultimately affects male fertility potential.