Effects of exposure to dibutyltin dichloride on sperm density, viability and morphology in male mice

Experiments on the effects of 0.025-0.40 mug of dibutyltin dichloride (DBTCl) per kilogram body weight (kg bw), on sperm density, viability and morphology in mature mice were conducted by daily intraperitoneal injection for 7 days at 22 +/- 2 degreesC and 12 h light-dark cycle conditions. The results demonstrated that DBTCl exhibited strong toxicity on sperm quality. Dosed with greater than or equal to 0.05 mug DBTCl/kg bw groups, the testes weight, sperm density and the rate of survival of sperm decreased, whereas the rate of sperm abnormalities increased significantly. In addition, treatment with 0.05 mug DBTCl/kg bw resulted in increasing rate of sperm head abnormalities, whereas administration at 0.20 and 0.40 mug DBTCl/kg bw significantly increased the rate of sperm tail abnormalities. In the group treated at > 0.10 mug DBTCl/kg bw, the mice body weights decreased. It appeared there was a noticeable dose-response relationship between DBTCl and the parameters studied. ED50 values (7 days) of DBTCl for survival rate of sperm and density were 0.17 mug/kg bw and 0.19 mug/kg bw respectively. The present study provides a possibility for early diagnostic indicators and methods for sperm quality induced by organotin compounds (DBTCl) in mammals. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.