Abstract

QUINTANS, Leandro Néstor; MACIEL, María Eugenia; CASTRO, José Alberto  and  CASTRO, Gerardo Daniel. High levels of acetaldehyde and oxidative stress in rat testes after alcohol drinking. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2013, vol.47, n.4, pp.709-718. ISSN 0325-2957.

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with impaired testosterone production and testicular atrophy. Similar findings were observed in in vitro studies on testosterone production by isolated testes, being acetaldehyde more potent than alcohol in suppressing testosterone release. In previous laboratory studies, it was reported that rat testicular microsomes were able to bioactivate ethanol to reactive metabolites like acetaldehyde and 1-hydroxyethyl free radical. In this work, evidence is shown that after a single ethanol dose, acetaldehyde accumulates in testicular tissue during the first six hours post-treatment to reach concentrations higher than those in blood but lower than those in the liver. In agreement with those findings, it was reported that aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in cytosolic, mitochondrial and microsomal fractions is significantly smaller than in the corresponding liver counterparts. Ethanol drinking led to increased susceptibility of testicular lipids to oxidation as detected by increased levels of microsomal lipid hydroperoxides. Results suggest that in situ oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde and free radicals and their poor detoxification would be relevant to the effects observed.

Keywords : Alcohol drinking; Reproductive toxicity; Testis; Oxidative stress; Acetaldehyde.

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