Effects of Oral Administration of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Epididymal Semen Quality, Testicular DNA Damage and Histopathology in Male Rats.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of orally administered Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on reproductive health in rats. A total of 20 rats, aged 2 to 3 months, were divided into two groups. One group (n=10) received a dosage of 250mg/kg bw TiO2 (15 nm particle size) daily for 28 days, while the other group (n=10) received only tap water as a control. At the end of the study, rats were euthanized, epididymal sperm samples were collected and testicular tissues were examined using both hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical techniques to assess the levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1a (HIF-1a). Oxidative stress levels were measured by Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. The results indicated that the oral administration of TiO2 nanoparticles significantly impaired sperm quality parameters (P<0.01). In the TiO2-treated group, seminiferous tubule diameter and epithelial height were lower compared to control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the levels of 8-OHdG, indicating DNA damage, and HIF-1a, a marker of tissue hypoxia, were increased in the testicular tissue. Additionally, the levels of oxidants (TOS and MDA) were increased, while antioxidant markers (TAS and GSH-Px) were decreased in TiO2-treated group. In conclusion, oral administration of TiO2 nanoparticles induces DNA damage, adversely affects epididymal semen quality, and elevates oxidant levels in testicular tissue. These results underscore the detrimental effects of TiO2 nanoparticles (<100nm, especially <25nm) on reproductive health and highlight the importance of further investigation into their potential adverse effects in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]