Exposure to PbSe Nanoparticles and Male Reproductive Damage in a Rat Model

PbSe nanoparticles (PbSe-NPs) attract ever-growing interest owing to their great promise in various fields. However, potential toxic effects of PbSe-NPs on male reproductive systems have not been reported. This study aimed to determine whether early-life exposure to PbSe-NPs could affect male reproductive systems and other related health effects in rats. The male rats were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg/week PbSe-NPs for 60 days followed by a series of reproductive-related analyses. We found that the nanoparticles could accumulate in testes in a size-dependent manner. Furthermore, accumulation of PbSe-NPs resulted in oxidative stress and disorder of normal serum sex hormones. Endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria-mediated cell apoptosis were triggered via oxidative stress, as shown by upregulation of cytoplasmic Cyt-c, Bax, cleaved Caspase-3, GRP78, and Caspase-12. Notably, PbSe-NP administration led to reduction in the quantity and quality of sperm, which caused a great fertility decrease. In contrast, released Pb²⁺ from PbSe-NPs did not result in any testis toxicity and fertility declines. These results demonstrate that PbSe-NPs could cause severe reproductive toxicity in a size-dependent manner and these toxic effects should be responsible for PbSe-NPs themselves rather than released Pb²⁺. The application of PbSe-NPs might be a double-edged sword, and corresponding measures should be taken before use.