EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ETHANOL CONSUMPTION ON MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF RATS

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the endocrine function of male reproduction in rats and clarify the mechanism of action. MethodsForty healthy Sprague-Dawley adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups. Different doses of ethanol [0, 2.7, 4.5, 7.5 g/(kg·d)] were adminstrated to the rats for 13 weeks by a gastric tube. Serum sexual hormones: including testosterone(T), luteinizing hormone(LH) and follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) were determined. The patholgical changes of testicle tissue of rats were simultaneously observed by light microscopy and electron microscopy. The malonaldehyde(MDA) content of testicular mitochondria was simultaneously determined. ResultsSerum T level of each ethanol-treated group was significantly lower than that of control group(P 0.01). Serum LH and FSH levels of ethanol-treated rats were also lower than those of controls(P 0.05). Light microscopic evaluation of testes revealed germ cells degeneration and increased sloughed cellular element in tubular lumen of alcohol-treated rats. Electron microscopic analysis showed that seminiferous epithelium of ethanol-treated rats was disorganized and that sertoli cells and all sorts of germ cells were degenerated. The degree of testicular injury was associated with the dose of ethanol. MDA content of testicular mitochondria in ethanol 4.5, 7.5 g/(kg·d) group was markedly higher than that of control(P 0.01). ConclusionEthanol is a known testicular toxin and its chronic use leads to germ cell injury and testicular steroidogenesis inhibition as well as hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction in gonadotropin release. Lipid peroxidation may be a putative mechanism that contributes, at least in part, to the testicular injury associated with chronic ethanol abuse.