Histological changes of acrylamide-induced testicular lesions in mice

The effects of a single oral dose of 150 or 100 mg/kg acrylamide on the testis were studied histopathologically in prepubertal and adult mice over a period of 10 days following treatment. In the prepubertal mice, severe testicular damage such as vacuolation and swelling of the round spermatids, necrosis of the late elongated spermatids in stages I to VIII, abnormal meiosis in stage XIX, and a marked cellular exfoliation into the lumen were detected 1 day after administration of the 150 mg/kg dose. On Day 2, the damage was more pronounced. However, the testicular damage was repaired 7 to 10 days after treatment. In the adults, many tubules from stages I to VIII were affected, showing nuclear vacuolation in most of the round spermatids 1 day after administration of the 150 mg/kg dose. Meiosis in stage XIV was normal. In the prepubertal mice, nuclei of the round spermatids in stage I-III, especially step 1 spermatids had degenerated 1 day after administration of the 100 mg/kg dose. In the adults, the round spermatids had degenerated in stages I-II and IV-VIII 1 day after administration of the 100 mg/kg dose. These results suggested that the most vulnerable cell type among the spermatogenic cells was the round spermatid, especially that in the Golgi phase (stage I-III). Other stages and spermatogenic cells were relatively resistant to acrylamide testicular toxicity.