Protective role of lycopene on polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254)-induced adult rat Sertoli cell dysfunction by increased oxidative stress and endocrine disruption

The protective role of lycopene against various toxicants on various organs and its association with decreased oxidative stress seems to be well established. Sertoli cell function in the adult testis determines daily sperm production. Increasing evidence suggests that environmental pollutants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are male infertility, which is associated with oxidative stress. Hence, the present study was designed to find out whether PCBs disrupt Sertoli cell function by inducing oxidative stress or endocrine disruption? Whether lycopene attenuates PCBs-induced disruption in Sertoli cells or not? Adult male rats were divided into four (vehicle control, lycopene, PCBs and PCBs + lycopene treated) groups. After the experimental period (30 days), the animals were decapitated for the blood collection and testes were removed for the isolation of Sertoli cells. In PCBs exposure, serum hormones (FSH, testosterone and estradiol), Sertoli cellular receptors (FSHR and AR) were significantly decreased whereas oxidative stress markers (H2O2 and LPO) and ER-ß expression in Sertoli cells were significantly increased. Sertoli cell functional proteins such as connexin 43, transferrin and androgen-binding protein expressions and the level of lactate were significantly decreased. However, simultaneous supplementation of lycopene to PCBs-exposed rats significantly decreased the endocrine disruption and oxidative stress in Sertoli cells. The findings point out that lycopene protects the Sertoli cell function by preventing PCBs-induced oxidative stress and endocrine disruption.