Investigation of the protective effects of melatonin and vitamin E against acetamiprid testicular toxicity

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of melatonin and vitamin E against the acetamiprite caused histopathological damage and reproductive system hormones and oxidative stress parameters changes in male mouse testis. 50 Balb-c male mice were divided into 7 groups as 6 in control group and 8 in other groups. H&E, PAS and kaspaz-3 staining were performed in the testis tissues obtained after 21 days of experiment. Tissue samples taken for ultrastructural examination were also analyzed by TEM. In the Acmp group, seminiferous tübüle diameter and epithelial thickness decreased. Epithelium degeneration, decreased spermatozoa in the lumen, PAS+ decrease in the seminiferous epithelial basement membrane, edema in the interstitial area and hydropic degeneration in Leydig cells were detected. Caspase-3 had more immune positivity than the other groups. In TEM examination, degeneration of tübüle cells, lysosomal accumulation, vacuoliations containing myelin and necrosis in spermatogenic series cells were detected. In the Leydig cells, hydropic degeneration in the cytoplasm, electron dense lipid vacuoles in the cytoplasm and chramatolysis were prominent. Primary and secondary electron dense lysosomal accumulations were noted in Sertoli cells. Biochemically, in the Acmp group, there was a decrease in GSH and TAS, an increase in MDA and TOS levels. Plasma LH, FSH and testosterone levels were decreased. It was seen that histological damage, apoptotic cell death ratio decreased in both light microscopic and ultrastructural levels in groups that were administered melatonin, vitamin E and two together. Also, oxidative parameters were decreased and hormonal parameters increased in both group. Vitamin E was found to be more effective in decreasing the oxidative parameters and increasing the antioxidative parameters than melatonin. Vitamin E alone increased hormonal parameters higher than all groups. In conclusion, in our study, it was observed that acetamiprid exposure caused damage to testis tissue and decreased reproductive ability, induced oxidative stress in testis, and had negative effects on levels of reproductive hormones and oxidant-antioxidant balance. Vitamin E was found to be more effective to protect the testis tissue against acetamiprid toxicity than melatonin in many parameters. Key words: Acetamiprid, Melatonin, Testis, Vitamin E.