Effects of sodium fluoride on the reproductive development of Bombyx mori

Publication date: Available online 26 September 2018Source: Environmental Toxicology and PharmacologyAuthor(s): Wenchao Tang, Xi Zheng, Dan Li, Yuanyuan Xiao, Chengfei Yang, Shan Shang, Min Shi, Yong ZhuAbstractBombyx mori was used as a model to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of NaF in insects. Significant reduction in cocoon quality, survival rate, fecundity, and hatchability were observed upon NaF treatment groups. Fluoride determination indicated that F- has a cumulative effect on the gonad of silkworm. high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the testosterone content of males was decreased in NaF-treated groups, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the estradiol content was decreased in NaF-treated females. Ultrastructural observation of testicles of silkworm larvae revealed mitochondrial turgescence, endoplasmic reticulum destruction, the appearance of vacuoles and lysosomes, and apoptosis and necrosis of cells in NaF-treated groups. Altered tail length and tail DNA content in Comet assays further confirmed DNA damage in NaF-treated larvae. We demonstrated reproductive toxicity of fluoride toward silkworm at physiological and biochemical levels, and the results provide a theoretical basis for revealing the reproductive toxicity of fluoride in terrestrial insects.
Source: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research