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Exposure of male rats to monosodium l-glutamate from prenatal life to adulthood: the effects on serum testosterone, cholesterol and proteins, serum enzymes, epididymal sperm reserves and testes.

Izuchukwu S. Ochiogu ; Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
David Ogwu ; Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Surgery and Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Chukwuka N. Uchendu ; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Chidozie N. Okoye ; Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
John I. Ihedioha ; Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Edmund C. Mbegbu ; Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Sažetak

This study investigated the effects of exposure of male rats to monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) from prenatal life to adulthood on the serum levels of testosterone, cholesterol and proteins, serum enzymes, epididymal sperm reserves and testicular allometric weights. Forty-eight albino rats (40 females and 8 males) were used as starting animals for the study. Being a generational study, the 48 mature albino rats eventually gave birth to the 64 male offspring which were used to conclude the study. Initially, the 40 starting females were randomly assigned into four groups (A, B, C and D) of 10 female rats each, while the 8 males were assigned to the four groups (2 for each) for mating. Females of groups A, B, C and D received 0.0 %, 0.5 %, 1.0 % and 2.0 % of MSG respectively in their drinking water. The treatment with MSG for the starting females, which was on a daily basis, started four weeks prior to the introduction of the mating males, and lasted throughout the mating period, pregnancy and delivery, and ended three weeks post-partum. The mating males did not receive MSG as the starting females had access to drinking water containing MSG during the day, and to the mating males during the night. Outside this mating period, the starting females had access to MSG in drinking water for 24 hours daily until 3 weeks post-partum. At the point of weaning (3 weeks post-partum), 64 male offspring (16 each from each of the four groups) were randomly assigned into 16 sub-groups of 4 male offspring each. The 16 male offspring from group A were divided into four sub-groups (A1, A2, A3 and A4), those of B were divided into four sub-groups (B1, B2, B3 and B4), those of C were also divided into four sub-groups (C1, C2, C3 and C4) and those of D were divided into four sub-groups (D1, D2, D3 and D4), all of 4 offspring per sub-group. From that point of weaning, the A1, B1, C1 and D1 sub-groups started receiving 0.0 % of MSG, A2, B2, C2 and D2 sub-groups started receiving 0.5 % of MSG, A3, B3, C3 and D3 sub-groups started receiving 1.0 % of MSG, and A4, B4, C4 and D4 sub-groups started receiving 2.0 % of MSG, all in their drinking water, until adulthood at 16 weeks of age. At 16 weeks of age, the serum levels of testosterone, cholesterol and total protein, serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were assayed. Caudal epididymal sperm reserves and testicular allometric weights were also determined. The testes were dissected out for histomorphological studies. Results showed that only the sub-groups that were exposed to MSG from weaning age to adulthood (A2, A3 and A4) had mean testosterone levels that were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of the untreated control (A1). The mean serum cholesterol levels of some of the treated sub-groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of the untreated control. The mean caudal epididymal sperm reserves, testicular allometric weights, and serum ALT and AST activities of all the treatment sub-groups were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those of the untreated control (A1). The mean serum total protein levels of groups A3, A4, B1, B2, C1, C4, D1 and D2 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the untreated control (A1). Although the mean serum total cholesterol levels of all the treatment sub-groups were lower than that of the untreated control (A1), it was only the values of sub-groups B2, C2, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3 and D4 that showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease. No obvious lesions were observed on the testes of any of the sub-groups. It was concluded that exposure of rats to MSG at the doses used for the study from prenatal life to adulthood led to a significant reduction in serum testosterone and cholesterol levels, mean testicular allometric weights, cauda epididymal sperm reserves, serum activities of ALT and AST, and an increase in serum total protein.

Ključne riječi

onosodium l-glutamate; testosterone; cholesterol; proteins; rats

Hrčak ID:

161527

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/161527

Datum izdavanja:

10.6.2016.

Podaci na drugim jezicima: hrvatski

Posjeta: 1.034 *