Genotoxicity of chromium, copper and arsenate (CCA) and the ameliorative effects of vitamin C using mouse sperm morphology assay
Olatunde Omotoso, Alimba G Chibuisi, Achi Ijeoma and Bakare A Adekunle
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
: Forensic Toxicol Pharmacol 2015, 4:3
Abstract
The persistence of chromium, copper and arsenic in the environment has been widely documented. They are found in the environment as active components of a wood preservative called CCA (Chromate-Copper-Arsenate) with widespread exposure to human and wildlife populations. Interactions between these elements may induce elevated genotoxic effects more than single element itself. In vivo germ cell DNA damage induced by individual compound and CCA were investigated in mice using sperm morphology assay and testes histology. Vitamin C effect in alleviating the genotoxicity was also studied. 0.5 mL of sub-lethal concentrations; 0.0625x, 0.125x, 0.25x, 0.5x and 1x of LD50 for the individual and CCA combination, were intraperitoneally injected for 5 days according to the mice body weights. Similar treatments were given to distilled water and cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg b.w.t) groups; negative and positive controls, respectively. A separate group was administered with vitamin C (20 mg/kg b.w) before the LD50 concentration. Animals were sacrificed on the 35th day for sperm morphology assay and testes histology. There was increase in the induction of abnormal sperm morphology and various testicular lesions in treated mice compared to the negative control. However, only CCA and chromium were statistically significant (p<0.05). Vitamin C treated mice presented insignificant abnormal sperm morphologies with mild or no visible testicular lesions. The findings of this study showed that though arsenic and copper might not be genotoxic, interaction between elemental components of CCA may be capable of inducing genotoxic effects. The study also showed that exposure to CCA may increase reproductive toxicity in mammals.
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