Melatonin Improves Lactational Bisphenol S Induced Pre-Pubertal and Pubertal Testicular Impairments in Offspring.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine if melatonin could ameliorate the harmful effects of lactational BPS exposure on testicular functions in pre-pubertal and pubertal male offspring.
Results Summary
Melatonin supplementation improved testicular histoarchitecture, enhanced antioxidant status, and modulated redox/survival markers, promoting germ cell proliferation in offspring exposed to BPS during lactation.
Population
Male offspring of lactating mice exposed to BPS.
Effective Dosage
3 mg/kg body weight
Duration
Lactational period (specific duration not stated)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
lactational BPS exposure | decrease | testicular physiology | male offspring (mice) | - | affected | #1 |
lactational BPS exposure | increase | histological abnormalities | male offspring (mice) | - | led to | #2 |
lactational BPS exposure | increase | hormonal imbalance | male offspring (mice) | - | led to | #3 |
lactational BPS exposure | decrease | blood-testis-barrier (E-cadherin/connexin-43) | male offspring (mice) | - | alters | #4 |
lactational BPS exposure | decrease | redox modulators (SIRT-1/FOXO-1/PGC-1α; Nrf2/HO-1/pSTAT-3) | male offspring (mice) | - | alters | #5 |
lactational BPS exposure | decrease | germ cell dynamicity (PCNA/TUNEL positive cells) | male offspring (mice) | - | alters | #6 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | testicular histoarchitecture | male offspring (mice) | - | improved | #7 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | testicular antioxidant status | male offspring (mice) | - | enhanced | #8 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | redox/survival and BTB markers | male offspring (mice) | - | modulated expression of | #9 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | germ cell proliferation | male offspring (mice) | - | promoted | #10 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | reproductive health compromised by lactational BPS exposure | male offspring (mice) | - | improves | #11 |
Lactational period is of extreme importance for nourishing and fostering growth in neonates. Bisphenol S (BPS) a congener of bisphenol A (BPA) is an emerging environmental toxicant reported to have deleterious effects on reproductive health. Indirect exposure of BPS to the suckling infants via breastmilk is less explored although it can lead to various public health issues. Therefore, we investigated harmful effects of lactational BPS exposure on pre-pubertal and pubertal testicular functions of the offspring and its possible amelioration by melatonin. Lactating dams were divided into 4 groups: control, melatonin treated (3 mg/kg BW), BPS treated (150 mg/kg BW) and BPS + melatonin co-treatment; the male offspring were evaluated at pre-pubertal (PND 22) and pubertal (PND 42) testicular developmental stages. Lactational BPS exposure affected testicular physiology, led to histological abnormalities, hormonal imbalance, alters blood-testis-barrier (E-cadherin/connexin-43), redox modulators (SIRT-1/FOXO-1/PGC-1α; Nrf2/HO-1/pSTAT-3) and germ cell dynamicity (PCNA/TUNEL positive cells) in both pre-pubertal and pubertal mice. However, melatonin supplementation to BPS exposed lactating mothers improved testicular histoarchitecture in offspring, enhanced testicular antioxidant status, modulated expression of redox/survival and BTB markers that promoted germ cell proliferation. In conclusion, our study shows that lactational BPS exposure could be deleterious to testicular physiology that may result in male infertility/subfertility in later life while melatonin supplementation improves the reproductive health compromised by lactational BPS exposure.