Imidacloprid induces morphological and molecular damages on testis of lizard (Podarcis sicula)

The insecticide imidacloprid was evaluated under laboratory conditions in the adult male Italian wall lizards (Podarcis sicula) to assess its potential toxicity. By an acute oral test, LD50 was 503.76 mg/kg. Changes in spermatogenesis, plasma sex hormone levels and androgen and oestrogen receptor mR...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecotoxicology (London) 2015, Vol.24 (1), p.94-105
Main Author: Cardone, Anna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adults
Androgens
Animals
Apoptosis
dose response
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Environment
environmental exposure
Environmental Management
Estrogen
estrogen receptors
Exposure
Hormones
Imidacloprid
Imidazoles - toxicity
Insecticides
Lacertilia
Lethal Dose 50
Lizards
Male
Males
messenger RNA
Neonicotinoids
Nitro Compounds - toxicity
Podarcis
Podarcis sicula
Precautions
Receptors
Receptors, Estrogen - blood
Sex hormones
Simulation
spermatocytes
Spermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis - drug effects
steroid hormones
testes
Testis - drug effects
Testis - pathology
Testosterone - blood
Toxicity Tests, Acute
Toxicity Tests, Subchronic
wall lizards
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Summary:The insecticide imidacloprid was evaluated under laboratory conditions in the adult male Italian wall lizards (Podarcis sicula) to assess its potential toxicity. By an acute oral test, LD50 was 503.76 mg/kg. Changes in spermatogenesis, plasma sex hormone levels and androgen and oestrogen receptor mRNAs were analysed by subchronic test and simulated environmental exposure. 15-days subchronic test, in which lizards were orally dosed on alternate days at 0, 10, 50, 100 mg/kg bw, showed a dose-dependent changes of testicular architecture and an increase of apoptotic processes. In a 30-days simulated environmental exposure spermatogenesis was arrested at secondary spermatocyte level and only few primary spermatocytes were TUNEL-positive. In all experimental groups imidacloprid was able to decrease both the level of sex hormones and the steroid receptor mRNAs. The results demonstrate that imidacloprid affects reproduction function of male lizards therefore precautions must be taken to minimize the harmful effects of this compound.
ISSN:0963-9292
1573-3017
DOI:10.1007/s10646-014-1361-0