Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2594440 | Reproductive Toxicology | 2010 | 7 Pages |
The chemotherapeutic agents used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP), have adverse effects on male reproductive function and progeny outcome. To determine the reversibility of these effects, male rats received a CHOP treatment mimicking human exposure. CHOP reduced testicular and epididymal weights; these remained decreased after 9 weeks recovery. This treatment also decreased testicular sperm number and increased spermatozoal DNA damage. Although sperm production returned to control values after 9 weeks recovery, DNA damage persisted. Decreased litter size, and increased pre- and post-implantation losses were observed among litters sired by CHOP-exposed males. Litter size and pre-implantation loss returned to control within 3 weeks post-treatment and post-implantation loss by 6 weeks. Thus, effects of CHOP on progeny outcome were reversed 9 weeks post-treatment, although germ cell DNA breaks remained elevated. These data suggest that the ability to sire viable progeny may not be a sensitive measure of spermatozoal quality in rats.