Suppression and Recovery of Spermatogenesis in Dibromochloropropane Treated Rats

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Abstract
Fertile male rats were injected s.c. with DBCP [dibromochloropropane nematocide] dissolved in DMSO [dimethyl sulfoxide] at 20 mg DBCP/kg body wt once a week for 3 consecutive wk. One testis was removed 3-7 wk after the last injection. Following standard histological procedure, the percentage of damaged seminiferous tubules was determined. Damage to various degrees was noted in 70% of the injected animals. No damage was evident in controls injected with the solvent alone. The 2nd testis was removed .apprx. 27 wk later. In .apprx. 70% of the animals showing damage in the 1st testis, recovery was evident with presence of active spermatogenesis, as revealed in histological sections. There was some loss of body weight during the DBCP injection period compared with controls. With time, these differences disappeared. At sacrifice, testis, liver and kidneys weights were reduced in the DBCP-treated animals as compared with controls. Testicular weight was negatively correlated with the degree of observed testicular damage but not correlated with the degree of testicular recovery.