Effects of cigarette smoke exposure on spermatogenesis in rat

Abstract

In this study, rats in experimental group were exposed to smoke-air mixture (1/9 volume) 2 hours/day, consecutively 60 days. Control animals exposed to room air. Initial and 60™ day plasma levels of testosterone, follicle stimulating hor¬mone and luteinizing hormone were estimated by radioimmunoassay in both groups. Testes were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy at the 60*" day of the exposure. Light microscopic findings showed that spermatogenic cell density and amount of mitotic forms in seminiferous tubules of smoke-exposed rats were lower than that of the con¬trols. Electron microscopic examination revealed that spermatogonia! cells of smoke-exposed rats had vacuolized and enlarged nuclei. Additionally, large amount of morphologically abnormal and immature sperms were detected in the lumen of seminiferous tubules of smoke-exposed rats. No histopathological abnormalities were seen in air-exposed control rats. At the 60th day of the exposure, mean plasma levels of testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone of smoke exposed rats were significantly lower than the latter values of control group (p