Impairment of sperm efficiency in mice following short-term nano-titanium dioxide exposure: An experimental study

Amirhossein Danafar; Arezoo Khoradmehr; Mahya Hosseini Bondarabadi; Fahime Mazaheri; Amin Tamadon; Soheila Pourmasoumi; Lida Gholizadeh; Mojgan Moshrefi; Iman Halvaei; Akram Hosseini; Jalal Golzadeh; Tahereh Rahiminia; Morteza Anvari

doi:10.18502/ijrm.v19i12.10055

Impairment of sperm efficiency in mice following short-term nano-titanium dioxide exposure: An experimental study

Int J Reprod Biomed. 2022 Jan 12;19(12):1045-1058. doi: 10.18502/ijrm.v19i12.10055. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Amirhossein Danafar¹, Arezoo Khoradmehr^{2

3}, Mahya Hosseini Bondarabadi⁴, Fahime Mazaheri^{3

5}, Amin Tamadon², Soheila Pourmasoumi^{6

7}, Lida Gholizadeh³, Mojgan Moshrefi^{3

5}, Iman Halvaei⁸, Akram Hosseini⁹, Jalal Golzadeh¹⁰, Tahereh Rahiminia¹¹, Morteza Anvari^{3

12}

Affiliations

¹ Dr. Seyedhassani Medical Sciences Center, Yazd, Iran.
² The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, the Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
³ Research and Clinical Center of Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Science Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
⁴ Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
⁵ Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Centre, Yazd Reproductive Science Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
⁶ Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
⁷ Clinical Research Development Unit (CRDU), Moradi Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
⁸ Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
⁹ Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
¹⁰ Stem Cell Biology Research Center, Yazd Reproductive Science Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
¹¹ Gametogenesis Research Center, Fertility and Infertility Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
¹² Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO $_{2}$ NPs) are widely used in many compounds. Recent evidence has displayed some cytotoxic effects of TiO $_{2}$ NPs on male reproduction.

Objective: The effects of TiO $_{2}$ NP administration on sperm parameters and chromatin and seminiferous histopathology of male mice were investigated.

Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 32 NMRI male mice (35 $\pm$ 3 gr, 8-12-week-old) were divided into four groups (n = 8/each): treated groups were fed orally with 2.5 (group I), 5 (group II) and 10 (group III) mg/kg/day TiO $_{2}$ NPs for 40 days and the control group received phosphate buffered saline. Sperm parameters, DNA integrity and chromatin quality were assessed using chromomycin A3, aniline blue, toluidine blue staining and TUNEL. Hematoxylin eosin staining was performed to measure spermatogenic cells and the total diameter of seminiferous tubules. Also, sex hormone and malondyaldehyde levels were measured.

Results: Abnormal sperm tails rose in group III (28.87 $\pm$ 4.91) in comparison with the control group (12.75 $\pm$ 3.95). However, chromomycin A3 staining and TUNEL showed higher levels in group III in comparison with the control group, whereas aniline blue and toluidine blue staining showed no differences. A significantly lower spermatogenesis index and lumen parameters were observed in group III. Leydig cell numbers, cellular diameters and the area of the seminiferous tubules were lower in the treated groups. The testosterone level was also lower in these groups and the percentage of malondyaldehyde in the seminal fluid was higher.

Conclusion: Exact mechanisms of TiO $_{2}$ NPs are not clear; however, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of TiO $_{2}$ NPs may relate to oxidative stress. Given their widespread use, TiO $_{2}$ NPs should be a public health focus of attention.

Keywords: Histology; Mouse; Chromatin; Spermatogenesis; TUNEL.; Titanium dioxide.