| Objective The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of acrylonitrile on serum sex hormone concentration and steroidogenic enzymes damage that maybe a mechanism of testosterone biosynthesis.Methods 40 SPF healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups randomly by weight: control group(corn oil), low dose group(ACN 12.5mg/kg), middle dose group(ACN 25.0mg/kg), high dose group(ACN 50.0mg/kg). Each group of animals were intragastrically administered daily with 5 mL/kg for 13 weeks, 6 days per week.(1) Blood sample was obtained by cardiac puncture intravital at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks to examine the concentration of testosterone(T), estravital(E2), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and interstirial cell stimulating hormone(ICSH) by radioimmunoassay.(2) Rats were sacrificed and the testes were harvested after 24 hours at the last gagvage. The mRNA expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein(StAR), cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme(P450scc),17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase(17β-HSD) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase(3β-HSD)in testes were measured by real-time quantitative PCR technique.Results 1.No rat was dead throughout the experiment.The rats in ACN treated groups were found to be salivated, restless and irritable from the sixth week, but the control group was not. In all measurement time, the weight of rats were no significant difference between the ACN treated group and the control group(P>0.05), showing the same growth trend.2.Serum sex hormone:(1) Compared with control group, the serum testosterone concentration was significantly decreased at 4, 6, 10 weeks in all ACN treated groups(P<0.05). It was significantly increased in the middle and high dosage ACN groups at 10 weeks compared with the low dosage ACN group(P<0.05).(2) The serum estradiol concentration was significantly decreased at 2 weeks in middle dosage ACN group compared with the control group(P<0.05).Compared with the low dosage ACN group, it was significantly decreased at 2 weeks in middle dosage ACN group and at 4 weeks in high dosage ACN group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the serum E2 concentration was significantly decreased at 6 weeks in high dosage ACN group and 12 weeks in all ACN group(P<0.05).(3) T/E2: The serum T/E2 were significantly decreased at 2 weeks of middle dosage ACN group compared with the control group and the lowdosage ACN group, respectively(P<0.05), and it was significantly decreased at 4 weeks in high dosage ACN group compared with the low dosage ACN group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, it was significantly decreased at 8, 10 weeks in high dosage ACN group(P<0.05).The serum T/E2 were significantly increased at 8, 10 weeks in middle dosage ACN group compared with the low dosage ACN group(P<0.05), and it was significantly increased at 12 weeks of high dosage ACN group compared with the control group(P<0.05).(4)ICSH: The serum ICSH concentration was significantly decreased at 2 weeks in middle and high dosage ACN treatment group compared with the middle dosage ACN group and control group, respectively(P<0.05).Compared with the control group, it was significantly decreased at 12 weeks in middle and high dosage ACN treatment group(P<0.05).(5)FSH: The serum FSH concentration were significantly increased at 2 weeks in high dosage ACN group compared with the control group and the low dosage ACN group, respectively(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, it was significantly increased at 6 weeks in middle and high dosage ACN group and was significantly decreased at 8weeks in high dosage ACN group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, it was significantly decreased at 12 weeks in all dosage ACN group(P<0.05).3.The real-time quantitative PCR: The rats testes StAR mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in low and high dosage ACN group compared with the control group(P<0.05), but was significantly decreased in middle dosage ACN group. There was no significantly difference in P450 scc mRNA expression levels in all dosage ACN group compared with the control group(P>0.05). The 3β-HSD mRNA expression levels was significantly decreased in middle and high dosage ACN group compared with the control group(P<0.05).Compared with the control group, the 17β-HSD mRNA expression levels was significantly decreased in high dosage ACN group(P<0.05).Conclusions(1) ACN could change the rats behavior, but no significant difference effect on rats weight.(2) ACN might be decreased the secretion of T, E2, ICSH and FSH.(3) ACN inhibited the expression of StAR, 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD mRNA in rats testes. |
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