In Vivo Evaluation of the Potential Protective Effect of Prolactin Against Histological Damage Caused by Methylmercury in Testicles of Mice (Mus musculus).

Abstract

Mercury is a heavy metal that naturally occurs in the environment or may be released through anthropogenic activities. Its toxicological impacts are well documented. Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone involved in several physiological processes, including metabolic regulation and tissue protection. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of PRL against testicular histopathological damage induced by methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in Mus musculus mice. The animals were allocated into six experimental groups: negative control, MeHg only, two groups treated with different PRL concentrations, and two groups receiving combined MeHg and PRL treatments. Testicular tissues were fixed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned using a microtome, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and evaluated by light microscopy. Histopathological alterations observed included seminiferous tubule degeneration, cytoplasmic vacuolization, epithelial desquamation, and abnormal secretion. Statistical analysis was performed using a nonparametric ANOVA (Kruskal-Wallis), with post hoc SNK test. The findings confirmed the testicular toxicity of MeHg and suggested a potential protective role of PRL, although PRL alone also demonstrated some toxicological effects. These results underscore the need for further research to elucidate the dual role of PRL in testicular toxicology.