ANGUIDINE-INDUCED TESTICULAR INJURY IN LEWIS RATS

Anguidine (diacetoxyscirpenol, DAS) and other trichothecene mycotoxins are potent inhibitors of protein synthesis and injure organs with rapidly dividing cell populations, including the testis. Testicular structure and function were studied in male Lewis rats 1, 3, 7, 30, 60, and90 days after exposure at age 12 weeks to anguidine at 1.7 mg/kg body weight given by ip injection. The dose was equivalent to 75% of the ip LD50. Anguidine caused a gradual decline in testicular weight beginning 30 days after treatment. Sperm production was also reduced by 30 days, and the frequency of hypocellular seminiferous tubules increased by day 60. There was no evidence of recovery by 90 days. These changes are consistent with injury to proliferating cells early in the maturation sequence. Epididymal sperm reserves were reduced by 3 days after anguidine administration, prior to the reduction in sperm production, suggesting premature release of spermatozoa from the epididymis. © 1990.