[Effect of vitamin E on reproductive functions and anti-oxidant activity of adolescent male mice exposed to bisphenol A].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on reproductive functions and oxidative stress in adolescent male mice, and to explore the effect of high dose vitamin E on reproductive functions and oxidative stress induced by BPA. METHODS: Thirty-two kunming male mice aged 4 -5 weeks were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (gavaged with corn oil 0.2 ml/d, n = 10), BPA group (gavaged with BPA 0.5 mg/kg BW, n = 11), and vitamin E intervention group (gavaged with BPA 0.5 mg/kg BW and vitamin E 150mg/kg BW, n = 11). All animals were sacrificed 3 weeks later and blood and tissue samples were collected. RESULTS: The wet weight of testis in BPA group, the wet weight and organ coefficient of spermatophore, and counts of sperm in BPA and vitamin E intervention groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the organ coefficient of spermatophore in vitamin E intervention group was significantly higher than BPA group (P < 0.05). The rates of teratosperm in BPA and vitamin E intervention groups were significant higher than the control group (P < 0.05), and the activity ratio of sperm in BPA group was significantly lower than those in the control and vitamin E intervention groups (P < 0.05). The SOD activities of liver tissue in both BPA and vitamin E intervention groups and CAT activity in BPA group were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The serum testosterone level in BPA group was lower than the control and vitamin E intervention group without significant difference. CONCLUSION: Short-term BPA exposure may partly inhibit the reproductive function in adolescent male mice with certain stimulating effect on antioxidant ability, and supplementation of vitamin E during BPA exposure may have certain protective effect on reproductive inhibition caused by BPA exposure.