[Joint effects of nano-selenium and nano-cerium on the male reproductive function of mice exposed to microwave radiation].

OBJECTIVE

To study effect of nano-selenium and nano-cerium(nano cerium oxide) on the spermatogenic ability of mice irradiated by 1800 MHz microwave radiation(MR).

METHODS

Forty-two ICR mice were randomly divided into groups: blank control group, solvent control group, microwave radiation model group, low, medium and high dose groups of nano-selenium+nano-cerium. In joint effects groups of nano-selenium and nano-cerium, the nano-selenium solution(60, 120 and 240 μg/kg) and the nano-cerium oxide solution(15, 30, 60 μg/kg) were administered to the stomach at 7:30 in the morning and 18:30 in the evening, respectively. The blank control group was orally administered with an equal volume of distilled water, and the solvent control group and the MR group were orally administered with an equal volume of carboxymethylcellulose sodium solution. During the second week of gastric administration, the mice were exposed to microwave radiation(1800 MHz) for 2 h every day(specific absorption ratio: 0. 2986 W/kg). After MR treatment, the daily sperm production of testis, sperm motility and sperm deformity rate in epididymis were measured, and the testicular marker enzymes [G6 PDH(6-phosphatedehydrogenase), ACP(acid phosphatase), LDH(lactate dehydrogenase)], antioxidant indexes [CAT(catalase), MDA(malondialdehyde) and T-AOC(total antioxidant capacity)] in testicular tissue were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the solvent control group, MR led to the decrease of sperm motility and the increase of sperm deformity rate, decreased the enzymes activities of G6 PDH, ACP and CAT, increased LDH activity and MDA content, and decreased the T-AOC level in testicular tissue, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0. 05). Compared with the MR group, the joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with medium dose increased the daily sperm production of testis((18. 98±1. 27) ×10~6/g) vs. (15. 53±1. 24) ×10~6/g), decreased the sperm deformity rate(11. 74%±0. 91% vs. 16. 84%±2. 05%), and the joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with medium and high dose increased the sperm motility in epididymis(61. 98%±6. 33%, 54. 17±4. 38 vs. 45. 16%±5. 01%), and the differences were statistically significant(P<0. 05). Compared with the MR group, the joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with low and medium dose increased the activity of ACP(11. 07±0. 98, 14. 85±1. 39 vs. 8. 72±0. 91 nmol/(min·mg prot), P<0. 05). The joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with medium and high dose increased the activity of G6 PDH(24. 12±2. 06, 21. 36±3. 65 vs. 15. 11±1. 73 nmol/(min·mg prot), P<0. 05) and decreased the activity of LDH(15. 52±1. 17, 13. 51±1. 68 vs. 22. 46±2. 01 nmol/(min·mg prot), P<0. 05). The joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with medium dose increased the activity of CAT(17. 92±2. 03 vs. 11. 69±0. 87 nmol/(min·mg prot), P<0. 05) and decreased the content of MDA(5. 17 ±0. 62 vs. 9. 03 ±0. 63 nmol/mg prot, P<0. 05). The joint action of nano-selenium and nano-cerium with low, medium and high dose increased the level of T-AOC(22. 06±1. 54, 29. 36±2. 39, 21. 01±2. 47 vs. 12. 88±1. 82 U/mg prot, P<0. 05).

CONCLUSION

The joint addition of nano-selenium and nano-cerium can improve the reproductive function of male mice exposed to MR, and can effectively alleviate the changes of mouse testicular marker enzyme activity and the decline of antioxidant capacity caused by MR.