Short Term Iron Overload Injection Alters Reproduction Organ and Sperm Quality in Male Mice

Background: Iron is an essential substrate in the body and needed in a small amount. In iron overload condition, such as patients who undergo routine blood transfusion for a long period, there is a risk of iron toxicity and affect fertility, signed by hypogonadism and reduction of sperm quality. However, the effect of short-term iron overload in the reproductive organ is not clearly understood. This study is conducted to determine the effect of short term iron administration to the male reproductive organ, testosterone, and epididymis sperm quality. Methods: Mice were injected with iron dextran intraperitoneally by the doses of 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.3 mg/day for 18 days. The reproductive organ, blood, and epididymis sperm were collected at the end of the treatment. Results: Epididymis-body weight ratio was decreased and the seminal vesicle-body weight ratio was increased in iron dextran treatment group compare to control (p<0.05). The interstitial seminiferous tubules in testis showed the accumulation of debris cells and thickening of epithelial. and the seminiferous intratubular filled with fibrin deposit and disintegrated of spermatogenic cell. There was a significant increase in sperm concentration (p<0.05) and sperm motility rate in the iron dextran treated-group. Furthermore, the testosterone serum level was increased in treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner, although the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: Short term iron overload alters the male mice reproduction showed by disruption in testis and increase of epididymis sperm concentration and motility (p<.0.05)