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

Experiments on the effects of 0.025–0.40 µg 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 °C and 12 h light–dark cycle conditions. The results demonstrated that DBTCl exhibited strong toxicity on sperm quality. Dosed with ≥ 0.05 µg 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 µg DBTCl/kg bw resulted in increasing rate of sperm head abnormalities, whereas administration at 0.20 and 0.40 µg DBTCl/kg bw significantly increased the rate of sperm tail abnormalities. In the group treated at ≥ 0.10 µg 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 µg/kg bw and 0.19 µg/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 © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.