abstract
Exposure to environmental chemicals, like pesticides, can impair male reproductive health by affecting Leydig cell (LC) function. This study investigated aminocarb, a widely used carbamate pesticide, and its impact on murine LCs (BLTK1 cell line). We observed a concentration-dependent biphasic toxicity, where higher aminocarb concentrations (500 mu M) reduced LC viability, while lower doses (5 and 50 mu M) unexpectedly increased it. Aminocarb selectively disrupted mitochondrial complexes I and III without altering overall mitochondrial respiration or reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Notably, 50 mu M aminocarb enhanced androstenedione production, a key androgen precursor. This research highlights the nuanced impact of aminocarb on LCs, suggesting targeted mitochondrial effects and steroidogenic stimulation, with implications for male reproductive health and environmental toxicology.
keywords
ELECTRON-TRANSPORT CHAIN; FATTY-ACIDS; MITOCHONDRIAL; BIOENERGETICS; DYSFUNCTION; GENERATION; APOPTOSIS; AXIS
subject category
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Toxicology
authors
Moreira, S; Martins, AD; Bernardino, RL; Pinho, M; Guerra, IMS; Alves, MG; Pastor, LM; Seco-Rovira, V; Pereira, MD; Oliveira, PF; Domingues, MR
our authors
Inês Maria dos Santos Guerra
PhD Student
Maria de Lourdes Gomes Pereira
Associate Professor with Aggregation
Sílvia Moreira
PhD StudentGroups
G4 - Renewable Materials and Circular Economy
G5 - Biomimetic, Biological and Living Materials
Projects
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
acknowledgements
This work was supported by "Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia"-FCT to CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials UIDB/50011/2020, (DOI 10.54499/UIDB/50011/2020) , UIDP/50011/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDP/50011/2020) and LA/P/0006/2020 (DOI 10.54499/LA/P/0006/2020) , financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) , LAQV-REQUIMTE (UIDB/50006/2020) and the post graduation student S. Moreira (2020.06438.BD) . UMIB (UIDB/00215/2020-DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/00215/2020; UIDP/00215/2020-DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/00215/2020) and ITR (LA/P/0064/2020-DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/0064/2020) . Pedro F. Oliveira (CEECINST/00026/2018) and Marco G. Alves (CDL-CTTRI-267-SGRH/2022) are funded by national funds through FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, P., under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Institutional Call, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES/FSE/UE. CESAM (UIDB/50017/2020 + UIDP/50017/2020 + LA/P/0094/2020) .Ana Martins thanks the Junior Researcher contract in the scope of the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus 2022 (2022.05444.CEE-CIND) . The authors are thankful to the COST Action EpiLipidNET, CA19105-Pan-European Network in Lipidomics and EpiLipidomics.