Lycopene Alleviates Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle-Induced Testicular Toxicity by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Mice.

Purpose: The research was carried out to investigate the possible ameliorative effect of lycopene on TiO NPs-induced male reproductive toxicity and explore the possible mechanism.

Methods: Ninety-six healthy male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were equally divided into eight groups (control group, 50 mg/kg TiO NPs group, 5 mg/kg LYC group, 20 mg/kg LYC group, 40 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO NPs + 5 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO NPs + 20 mg/kg LYC group, 50 mg/kg TiO NPs + 40 mg/kg LYC group), and the mice were treated by intragastric administration every day for 30 days in this research. Sperm parameters, testicular histopathology, oxidant and antioxidant enzymes, and cell apoptosis-related protein expression in the testicular tissue were analyzed.

Results: The results showed that TiO NPs exposure significantly decreased sperm count and motility, and TiO NPs also increased sperm malformation in the epididymis; these characteristics were improved when co-administration with LYC. Testicular histopathological lesions like disorder of germ cells arrange, detachment, atrophy, and vacuolization were observed after TiO NPs exposure, and these abnormalities were effectively ameliorated by co-administration with LYC. Oxidative stress was induced by TiO NPs exposure as evidenced by increased the level of MDA and decreased the activity of SOD as well as the level of anti-O, and these alterations were effectively prevented by co-administration with LYC. LYC also alleviated TiO NPs-induced germ cell apoptosis by inhibiting mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, as shown by the upregulation of Bcl-2, the downregulation of Bax, Cleaved Caspase 3, and Cleaved Caspase 9.

Conclusion: LYC could ameliorate TiO NPs-induced testicular damage via inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis, which could be used to alleviate the testicular toxicity associated with TiO NPs intake.