Difenoconazole Exposure Induces Retinoic Acid Signaling Dysregulation and Testicular Injury in Mice Testes.

ABSTRACT: Difenoconazole (DFZ) is a broad-spectrum triazole fungicide that is widely utilized in agriculture. Although DFZ has been demonstrated to induce reproductive toxicity in aquatic species, its toxic effects on the mammalian reproductive system have yet to be fully elucidated. In vivo, male mice were administered 0, 20 or 40 mg/kg/d of DFZ via oral gavage for 35 days. Consequently, DFZ significantly decreased testicular organ coefficient, sperm count and testosterone levels, augmented sperm malformation rates, and elicited histopathological alterations in testes. TUNEL assay showed increased apoptosis in testis. Western blotting results suggested abnormally high expression of the sperm meiosis-associated proteins STRA8 and SCP3. The concentrations of retinoic acid (RA), retinaldehyde (RE), an

SUBMITTER: Zheng X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10142862 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature