Histochemical changes of the rat testis and epididymis after treatment of alpha-chlorohydrin-effects of a single low dose

Effects of low doses of alpha chlorohydrin on the dehydrogenases and oxidases of rat epididymal epithelium and sperms: a correlative histochemical and biochemical study

Histochemical studies have been made of the isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, DPN diaphorase, TPN diaphorase, delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and monoamine oxidase in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides of normal and alpha chlorohydrin (6.5 mg/kg/9 days) treated rats. Administration of alpha chlorohydrin in a low dose caused a conspicuous decrease in all these enzymes except delta 5-3 beta-HSD, in various cell types of epididymal epithelium and sperms. Biochemical estimations of isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and delta 5-3 beta-HSD have further supported and confirmed these histochemical observations. These changes in enzyme activities after treatment with low dose of alpha chlorohydrin strongly suggest that TCA cycle and amino acid metabolism of epididymis become defective, much earlier before any histological damage to the epididymis becomes visible.

Effect of low doses of alpha chlorohydrin on the enzymes of glycolytic and phosphogluconate pathways in the rat testis and epididymis

A biochemical study has been made of the effects of low doses of alpha chlorohydrin on all the glycolytic enzymes and two key enzymes of phosphogluconate pathway i.e. glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGDH) of rat testis and epididymis. All the glycolytic enzymes of testis and epididymis are decreased after treatment with alpha chlorohydrin. G-6-PDH and 6-PGDH are decreased only in epididymis and not in the testis. LDH, ADH and glucose-6-phosphatase were also studied histochemically to show that the drug affects the glycolytic enzymes of epididymal cells and various testicular cell types of testis. Possible significance of these results is discussed.