Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis 16:7-17 (1996) zy Reprotoxic and Genotoxic Studies of Vanadium Pentoxide in Male Mice M. Altamirano-Lozano, L. Alvarez-Barrera, F. Basurto-Alcantara, M. Valverde, and E. Rojas zyxwvu Laboratorio de Citogenetica, Mutagenesis y Toxicologia Reproductiva, UlBR Campo-11, FES-Zaragoza (M.A.-L., L.A. zyxwv B.), Laboratorio de Inmunologia, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia (EB. -A.), and Laboratorio de Genetica ToxicologicaMolecular, Departamento de GTA lnstituto de lnvestigaciones Biomedicas (M. K, E. R.), UNAM, Mexico, D.E, Mexico zyx Effects of vanadium pentoxide (V205) treatment on reproductive function and tes- ticular DNA in male mice were investigated. These functions were evaluated with fertility rate, implants, resorptions, sperm counts, motility, and morphology. The DNA damage in individual testis cells was analyzed by single-cell gel electrophoresis tech- nique (COMET assay). VzOs treatment resulted in a decrease in fertility rate, im- plantations, live fetuses, and fetal weight, and an increase in the number of resorptions/dam. Sperm count, motility, and morphology were impaired with the advancement of treatment. Vanadium treatment induced DNA damage depending on the dose in the testis cells that was expressed and detected as DNA migration in the COMET assay. The distribution of DNA migration among cells, a function of dose, revealed that the majority of cells of treated animals expressed more DNA damage than cells from control animals. It is concluded that vanadium pentoxide was a reprotoxic and genotoxic agent in mice. zyxwvu @ 1996 wiley-Liss, Inc. Key words: vanadium pentoxide, sperm motility, sperm morphology, dominant lethal mutations, DNA single strand breaks, COMET assay INTRODUCTION The primary function of the male reproductive system is to produce spermato- zoa capable of fertilizing an ovum and producing healthy offspring. This requires producing sperm with adequate motility and morphology [ 11. During the reproduc- tive life, however, there are many infertile couples, fetal losses, malformed embryos and babies, and other kinds of abnormal reproductive outcomes [2]. During the last decades concern about the possible effects of several toxic xenobiotics on human reproduction has increased, particularly the effects on males [3]. During their Address reprint requests to Dr. M. Altamirano-Lozano, Laboratorio de Citogenetica, Mutagenesis y Toxicologia Reproductiva, U.I.B.R. Campo-II, FES-Zaragoza, UNAM, A.P. 9-020, C.P. 15000 Mexico, D.F. 0 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.