Effects Of Cadmium On Male Accessory Gland Of The Freshwater Crab Sinopotamon Henanense

In order to investigate the effects of cadmium on accessory gland of the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense, the crabs were put into cadmium (0,7.25,14.5,29,58 and 116 mg/L)for 3d,5d and 7d. We observed the microstructure of male accessory gland which were put into cadmium (7.25,14.5,29,58 and 116 mg/L)by microscope. Moreover, we investigated the effect of Cd (0,29 and 116 mg/L) for 5d on its ultrastruture by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). What is more, we determined the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), and quantified the levels of cadmium, malonyldialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO)and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC). And the levels of cadmium in male accessory gland were assessed by using the flame atomic absorption method. As is known,male accessory gland is useful for serving energy to sperm. So we measured the content of glycogen, protein and total lipid, respectly. It is useful for monitoring the influence of cadmium on the function of male accessory gland. The results were as belows:Firstly, cadmium is harmful to the histological structure of male accessory gland. And it was according with"dose-time"relationship. It means that the tubular microstructure was injured step by step with the increasing concentration of cadmium and exposured time. Its specific results were:the connective tissue disappeared, the civity appeared between epithelial cell and basal lamina, cytoplasm was seperated from the nucleus of epithelial cell, the nucleus deformation was appeared. The variation of ultrastructure in male accessory gland was conformed to "dose-effect". It was conformed that the nucleus, Golgi complex, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) etc were injured gradually.Secondly, the variation about activities of antioxidant enzymes(SOD, CAT and GPx)were in according with the "dose-time-effect", as it was, the activities of three enzymes increased initially, then reduced subsequently. The activities of three enzymes were significantly higher than those in the controls when cadmium is 14.5 and 29mg/L for 7d (P＜0.01);The crabs treated with 116mg/L of cadmium for 3d,5d and 7d had higher accumulation of cadmium; Moreover,MDA content was signifantly higher than those controls when the crabs were exposed to 58 and 116 mg/L of cadmium for 7d (P＜0.01);When the crabs were exposed to116 mg/L of cadmium for 5d and 7d, DPC and PCO were higher than those controls significantly (P<0.01)Thirdly, the content of glycogen,total lipid and protein were declined graduatlly with the increasing dose and time.What was more, when the crabs were exposed to cadmium 116 mg/L for 3d,5d and 7d, the content of glycogen and total lipid in the male accessory gland were inferior than those in the controls (P＜0.01); And when the crabs were exposed for 7d, the content of protein was lower than the controls (P<0.01)Conclusions:First,The toxicity of cadmium to male accessory gland was indentified.The crabs exposed to higher concentrations of cadmium for a long time were injured on the microstructure and ultrastructure in male accessory gland. The change of morphological structure could suggest that cadmium induced the variation of antioxidant enzymes and function of male accessory gland.Second,The accumulation of cadmium could induce the reduction of antioxidant enzymes activity, and eventually lead to the damage of three kinds of materials (protein, lipid and DNA),it could be specculated that the physiological and biochemical indicators were damaged.Third,The reduction of the content of glycogen, lipid and protein suggested that cadmium injured the function serving energy for sperm in male accessory gland. Thus, sperm could not move normally.