This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Zhang, S.-Y. Articles by Nakajima, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zhang, S.-Y. Articles by Nakajima, T.

Permethrin May Disrupt Testosterone Biosynthesis via Mitochondrial Membrane Damage of Leydig Cells in Adult Male Mouse

Department of Occupational and Environmental Health (S.-Y.Z., Y.I., O.Y., Y.Y., A.O., M.M., C.-H.L., M.Ka., T.N.), Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; College of Human Life and Environment (M.Ko.), Kinjo Gakuin University, Nagoya 463-8521, Japan; Department of Basic Veterinary Science (K.T., C.L.), the United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan; Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology (K.T., C.L.), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan; and Department of Medical Technology (J.U.), Nagoya University School of Health Sciences, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Tamie Nakajima, Ph.D., Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan. E-mail: tnasu23{at}med.nagoya-u.ac.jp.

Permethrin, a popular synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used to control noxious insects in agriculture, forestry, households, horticulture, and public health throughout the world, poses risks of environmental exposure. Here we evaluate the reproductive toxicity of cis-permethrin in adult male ICR mice that were orally administered cis-permethrin (0, 35, or 70 mg/kg·d) for 6 wk. Caudal epididymal sperm count and sperm motility in the treated groups were statistically reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Testicular testosterone production and plasma testosterone concentration were significantly and dose-dependently decreased with an increase in LH, and a significant regression was observed between testosterone levels and cis-permethrin residues in individual mice testes after exposure. However, no significant changes were observed in body weight, reproductive organ absolute and relative weights, sperm morphology, and plasma FSH concentration after cis-permethrin treatment. Moreover, cis-permethrin exposure significantly diminished the testicular mitochondrial mRNA expression levels of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450scc) and enzyme and protein expression levels of StAR and P450scc. At the electron microscopic level, mitochondrial membrane damage was found in Leydig cells of the exposed mouse testis. Our results suggest that the insecticide permethrin may cause mitochondrial membrane impairment in Leydig cells and disrupt testosterone biosynthesis by diminishing the delivery of cholesterol into the mitochondria and decreasing the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone in the cells, thus reducing subsequent testosterone production.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. D. Meeker, D. B. Barr, and R. Hauser Human semen quality and sperm DNA damage in relation to urinary metabolites of pyrethroid insecticides Hum. Reprod., August 1, 2008; 23(8): 1932 - 1940. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]