Toxicological outcome of phthalate exposure on male fertility: Ameliorative impacts of the co-administration of N-acetylcysteine and zinc sulfate in rats

• Published in: Middle East Fertility Society Journal Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15
• Main Authors: Emojevwe, V., Nwangwa, E. K., Naiho, A. O., Oyovwi, M. O., Ben-Azu, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 24.02.2022; Springer; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Acetylcysteine; Adenosine triphosphatase; Ca2+ATPase; Chromatin integrity; Health aspects; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; N-acetylcysteine; Semen parameters; Sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction; Zinc sulfate; ZnSO4; Nigeria; BCL-2; Chromatin integrity; TNF-α; ATPase; Semen parameters; ZnSO; Sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction; Ca; N-acetylcysteine
• ISSN: 1110-5690; 2090-3251
• DOI: 10.1186/s43043-022-00096-5

Background Reports have shown that humans are consistently exposed to environmental toxicants such as phthalate (PHT) during their daily activities. This results in reproductive dysfunction and infertility-related issues as already noted in human and experimental animals. We therefore designed this study to investigate fertility outcome in phthalate-exposed male rats treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) with the view of providing a therapeutic alternative to reproductive toxicity caused by phthalate. The research was done in two phases. In phase 1, thirty-five male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of five ( n = 7) groups given the following treatments for 21 days: group A was given distilled water as a control, while groups B, C, D, and E were given phthalate (750 mg/kg/day). Animals in groups C to E were also given ZnSO4 (0.5 mg/kg/day), N-acetylcysteine (100 mg/kg/day), and ZnSO4 (0.5 mg/kg/day) + N-acetylcysteine (100 mg/kg/day) in addition to phthalate. In phase 2, animals from groups in phase 1 were mated with females for fecundity testing. Results The result shows alteration in testicular and epididymis weight and testis/epididymis ratio, semen parameters, sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, sperm DNA, serum Zn and Mg, testicular mitochondria apoptosis mechanisms (TNF-α and BCL-2), and testicular Ca 2+ -ATPase as well as fecundity outcome in the phthalate-treated group. However, ZnSO 4 and NAC successfully ameliorated the deleterious effects of phthalate on semen parameters, sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, serum electrolyte and mitochondria apoptosis mechanisms, and testicular electrogenic Ca 2+ -ATPase in phthalate-induced male rats with a better outcome in the combined therapy. Pregnancy outcome and litter sizes were also higher in the combined therapy when also compared with the phthalate-treated groups. Conclusion According to the result, ZnSO 4 and NAC increased fertility outcome in phthalate-treated male rats through enhancement of testicular BCL-2, serum electrolyte, testicular Ca 2+ ATPase pumps, and cytoprotection.