Selenium sources differ in their potential to alleviate the cadmium-induced testicular dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Environmental Toxicology
• Reproductive Biology
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental contaminant linked to male reproductive health issues.
• Selenium (Se) shows potential as a chemoprotectant against Cd toxicity, but mechanisms require elucidation.
• Understanding Se's protective role against Cd in avian models is crucial for agricultural and environmental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the toxic effects of Cadmium (Cd) on chicken testes.
• To compare the protective effects of different Selenium (Se) sources against Cd-induced toxicity.
• To elucidate the mechanisms by which Se mitigates Cd toxicity, focusing on ion homeostasis, oxidative stress, and selenoprotein expression.

Main Methods:

• Male chickens were exposed to Cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and supplemented with different Selenium sources: Yeast-Se (YSe), Nano-Se (NSe), or Sodium selenite (SSe).
• Evaluated growth performance, testicular damage, ion homeostasis, antioxidant potential, and the expression of selenotranscriptome and selenoprotein biosynthetic factors.
• Compared the efficacy of YSe, NSe, and SSe in counteracting Cd toxicity.

Main Results:

• All tested Selenium sources significantly alleviated Cd-induced testicular developmental, ionic, hormonal, and oxidative stress disorders.
• Selenium supplementation mitigated Cd-induced testicular toxicity by regulating selenoprotein biosynthetic factors, promoting selenoprotein transcription.
• Yeast-Se supplementation demonstrated a notable protective effect on chicken testes against Cadmium exposure compared to other sources.

Conclusions:

• Dietary Selenium, particularly Yeast-Se, effectively counteracts Cadmium toxicity in chicken testes.
• Selenium protects against Cd-induced reproductive damage by modulating antioxidant defense and selenoprotein synthesis pathways.
• Yeast-Se represents a promising dietary form for mitigating Cadmium's adverse effects on male reproductive health.