Aluminum-induced epididymal damage and infertility in adult male rats: A nanotechnology-based perspective on nanoscale toxicity and oxidative mechanisms

Abstract

Epididymis damages are one of the most important causes of male infertility, described as post-testicular causes. Moreover, oxidative stress and inflammation are greatly implicated in these pathologies. The real point of this study is to look at what happens to the epididymis of adult male rats that are given 34 mg/kg of body weight of aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) by mouth for 30 days. There is a big drop in serum testosterone (0.31±0.26 ng/ml) and a rise in malondialdehyde (0.16±0.015 μM/g) and superoxide dismutase activity in epididymal tissue homogenates (9.28±0.17 U/mg protein) after exposure to aluminum. Histological examination of the epididymis showed multiple abnormalities, namely the presence of apoptotic cells, testicular cellular debris (spermatocytes or spermatids) in the lumen, infiltration of immune cells, and the formation of an inflammatory focus inducing the appearance of sperm granuloma following the extraversion of spermatozoa in the extracellular matrix. To our knowledge, this study is the first to document the occurrence of rat sperm granuloma caused by subacute exposure to aluminum. In addition, nanotechnology-based perspectives provide deeper insight into aluminum-induced toxicity by examining nanoscale interactions, oxidative stress pathways, and cellular damage mechanisms, which may contribute to the development of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for male infertility