Cyclopiazonic Acid Impared Male Reproductive Structure and Altered Hormonal Statues

Background: Cyclopiazonic acid as a mycotoxinis is produced by various fungi including Aspergilla and penicillium Spp. Consumption of the CPA-contaminated food and feedstuffs products raised some health concerns. In the current study we aimed to investigate the various dose level of CPA on the struc-ture and function of testis.Materials and Methods: Forty adult male mice were randomly aliquoted into control and test groups (n=8). In control group animals did not receive any treatment. In the control-sham, ani-mals received daily 0.05% DMSO (as the CPA solvent) intra-peritoneally (i.p.). In the third, fourth and fifth groups, animals received 0.3, 0.6 and 0.12 mg/kg, BW of CPA (i.p.), respective-ly for 28 days. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, all the animals were weighed. After taking the blood samples, the mice were euthanized and autopsied. Morphometric and morphologi-cal changes in the testicular tissue, testis spermatogenesis indi-ces and testosterone level were investigated.Results: Reduction in absolute weight of the body and testicles was observed in the CPA-received groups. Serum testosterone levels showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the animals that received high and medium doses of CPA. Histomorpho-metric analyzes showed reduction in the number of Leydig and sertoli cells, diameters of seminiferous tubules, thickness of ep-ithelium of tubules and thickness of the testis capsule that was significant (P<0.05) in the group that received the highest dose of CPA. Tubular Differentiation Index (TDI%), Spermiogenesis Index (SI%), and Repopulation Index (RI%) showed a decrease in the CPA-received groups, which was only statistically sig-nificant (P<0.05) in the group received the highest dose of CPA. Changes in the pattern of spermatogenesis series cells, dissolu-tion of seminiferous tubules, reduction of epididymal sperm, apoptosis in spermatogenesis series cells, changes in interstitial tissue were observed in experimental groups.Conclusion: Our data indicate that CPA affected negatively the structure and function of testicular tissue, suggesting its detri-mental effects on male reproductive system.

Keywords:

Cyclopiazonic Acid , Histomorphology and Histo-morphometry , Mice , Mycotoxin , Testosterone