Alterations of spermatogenesis in etoposide-treated rats: a stereological study

The etoposide is an anticancer drug that interacts with topoisomerase II. Thirty-day-old rats received intraperitonially 2mg/kg of etoposide for 30 consecutive days. Their testes were analyzed in the adult phase under light microscopy according to histomorphometric and stereological parameters. Random 3µm-thick-paraplast sections of testis were stained with periodic acid-Schiff reaction and Harris’hematoxylin method. Serum testosterone level and reproductive performance were also investigated. The results showed an accentuated decrease in the frequency of germinal lineage cell types and differentiated spermatogonia were the most affected cell types. Morphometric and stereological testicular parameters exhibited highly significant reductions in adult etoposide-treated rats. Their reproductive performance diminished but their serum testosterone level was not significantly altered. The mortality frequency of the progenies was 100%.