Introduction: Recently, acrylamide (Acr), which is a chemical compound utilised in industry, was detected in food rich in carbohydrates that had been subjected to a high temperature. It exerts its toxic effect through generation of oxidative species. Luteolin (Lut) is a potent antioxidant flavonoid that may mitigate this toxic effect.
Aim to the Work: To evaluate the histochemical changes induced by Acr on adult rat epididymal caput and the probable role of Lut in ameliorating these changes.
Materials and Methods: 30 adult rats were allocated into: group I (Control) received either distilled water (subgroup IA) or corn oil (subgroup IB), group ΙΙ received 100 mg/kg/day of Lut orally, group ΙΙI received 6.25 mg/kg/day of Acr orally, and group IV co-administrated Lut and Acr at doses as those of groups II and III. After 21 days, the rats were sacrificed after being weighed at the start and the end of the experiment. Sera were obtained for detection of testosterone level. Caudal fluid was collected for sperm count and motility analysis. Tissue homogenates were used to measure the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the gene expression of Bcl2-Associated X Protein (BAX) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2). Caputs were processed and examined by light and electron microscopies. All data were subjected to statistical analyses.
Results: Acr induced disruption of the caput epithelium with widening of the intercellular spaces, vacuolations, nuclear changes, reduction in sperm count and motility, a significant decline in animal weights, serum testosterone, increase in MDA and reduction in SOD. Moreover, gene expression of BAX showed a significant up-regulation with down-regulation of Bcl2. Co-administration of Lut with Acr led to improvement in structure of epididymal caput, the animal weights, the testosterone level, SOD, Bcl2, sperm count and motility.
Conclusion: Acr induced histochemical toxicity in epididymal caput, meanwhile Lut attenuated this effect.