<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf8"?>
 <!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.0 20120330//EN" "http://jats.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/1.0/JATS-journalpublishing1.dtd"> <article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.0" xml:lang="en">
  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">JVHC</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Journal of Veterinary Healthcare</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">2575-1212</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Open Access Pub</publisher-name>
        <publisher-loc>United States</publisher-loc>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">JVHC-18-2012</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-18-2012</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group>
          <subject>research-article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Bisphenol A Down-Regulates The mRNA  Expression of Steroidogenic Genes and Induces Histopathological Changes in Testes Of Rats</article-title>
        <alt-title alt-title-type="running-head">bisphenol a altered steroidogenic genes in albino rats</alt-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Basma</surname>
            <given-names>H Marghani</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850675180">1</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Ahmed</surname>
            <given-names>I Ateya</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850675756">2</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Rasha</surname>
            <given-names>M Saleh</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850675180">1</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Amal</surname>
            <given-names>A Halawa</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850676692">3</xref>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850679420">*</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Rasha</surname>
            <given-names>A Eltaysh</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850677260">4</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Walaa</surname>
            <given-names>F Awadin</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850678268">5</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Youssef</surname>
            <given-names>Y Elseady</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850675180">1</xref>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="idm1850675180">
        <label>1</label>
        <addr-line>Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <aff id="idm1850675756">
        <label>2</label>
        <addr-line>Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Wealth and Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <aff id="idm1850676692">
        <label>3</label>
        <addr-line>Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faulty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <aff id="idm1850677260">
        <label>4</label>
        <addr-line>Department of pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <aff id="idm1850678268">
        <label>5</label>
        <addr-line>Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <aff id="idm1850679420">
        <label>*</label>
        <addr-line>Corresponding Author</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="editor">
          <name>
            <surname>Shabir</surname>
            <given-names>Lone</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="idm1850541532">1</xref>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="idm1850541532">
        <label>1</label>
        <addr-line>ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, India.</addr-line>
      </aff>
      <author-notes>
        <corresp>
    
    Amal Abdelmoneim Halawa, <addr-line>Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, 35516 Mansoura, 60 </addr-line><addr-line>Elgomhoria</addr-line><addr-line> St, Egypt</addr-line>. Tel: <phone>01020992886</phone>, Fax: <fax>+20502200696</fax>. Email: <email>am_abdelmonem@yahoo.com</email></corresp>
        <fn fn-type="conflict" id="idm1853330540">
          <p>The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.</p>
        </fn>
      </author-notes>
      <pub-date pub-type="epub" iso-8601-date="2018-03-29">
        <day>29</day>
        <month>03</month>
        <year>2018</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>1</volume>
      <issue>3</issue>
      <fpage>32</fpage>
      <lpage>44</lpage>
      <history>
        <date date-type="received">
          <day>27</day>
          <month>02</month>
          <year>2018</year>
        </date>
        <date date-type="accepted">
          <day>27</day>
          <month>03</month>
          <year>2018</year>
        </date>
        <date date-type="online">
          <day>29</day>
          <month>03</month>
          <year>2018</year>
        </date>
      </history>
      <permissions>
        <copyright-statement>© </copyright-statement>
        <copyright-year>2018</copyright-year>
        <copyright-holder>Basma H Marghani,et al.</copyright-holder>
        <license xlink:href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" xlink:type="simple">
          <license-p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <self-uri xlink:href="http://openaccesspub.org/jvhc/article/729">This article is available from http://openaccesspub.org/jvhc/article/729</self-uri>
      <abstract>
        <p>Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor with a weak estrogenic effect used in industry as a component of food cans. We aimed to study the toxic effects of BPA on mRNA expression of steroidogenic genes and testicular structure in mature male rats. Animals were divided into 3 groups: vehicle control rats as first group, while second group received 10 µg/kg BW and third group received BPA 15 µg/kg BW orally every alternate day for a period of 105 successive days. Serum testosterone level, mRNA expression of genes related to steroid synthesis, histopathological examination, spermatogenesis index and number of Leydig cells were evaluated in this study. Lower serum hormone levels were observed in both BPA-treated groups as compared to the control group. The gene expression patterns of <italic>steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (</italic><italic>StAR</italic><italic>), cytochrome P450 17a</italic><italic>(CYP17a)</italic> and <italic>3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase</italic> (3β-HSD) were significantly down-regulated in BPA-treated rats compared to control group. Meanwhile, the expression of <italic>aromatase</italic> (CYP19) and lutinizing hormone receptor (LHR) was significantly up-regulated. Histopathological lesions were observed in the testes and epididymis of BPA-treated rats. Spermatogenesis index and the number of Leydig cells were significantly decreased in BPA-treated groups compared with the control group. This study highlights negative effect of BPA on steroidogenic genes and testicular structure in male rats.</p>
        <p> </p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>Bisphenol A</kwd>
        <kwd>Gene expression</kwd>
        <kwd>Reproduction</kwd>
        <kwd>Spermatogenesis</kwd>
        <kwd>Testosterone</kwd>
        <kwd>Toxicity.  </kwd>
      </kwd-group>
      <counts>
        <fig-count count="5"/>
        <table-count count="1"/>
        <page-count count="13"/>
      </counts>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
  <body>
    <sec id="idm1850518220" sec-type="intro">
      <title>Introduction</title>
      <p>Bisphenol A (BPA) is a  ubiquitous environmental chemical that is integrated in the manufacturing process of many industrial products such as plasticizers, as well as in the production of materials used for food and potable water, such as epoxy lining of food and beverages cans <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1851102692">1</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1851111348">2</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1851168628">3</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850962276">4</xref>. It leaches from those products causing health hazards for humans and animals <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1851111348">2</xref>. Its presence in biological and nonbiological samples was previously verified <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850957700">5</xref>. BPA is an endocrine disruptor; it binds to estrogenic receptors mimics the action of estrogen hormone <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850952364">6</xref>, also, it can bind to androgen receptors, blocking endogenous androgen action <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850946780">7</xref> resulting in impairment of male reproductive function <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850941828">8</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850938012">9</xref>. BPA at a dose of 10 mg/kg bw/day orally for 14 days reduced activity of testicular mitochondrial enzymes in micewith subsequent stimulation of oxidative stress through inhibiting the activities of antioxidant enzymes <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850931692">10</xref>. Alternatively, extremely low concentrations of BPA inhibited activity of steroidogenic enzymes in human and rat testicular microsomes <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850926836">11</xref>. Reproductive toxicity of BPA was previously studied using different experimental animals such as mice and rats <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850921828">12</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850918876">13</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850912252">14</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850907428">15</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850878132">16</xref>, evidenced by alterations in sperm parameters as well as reductions in sex hormones, testicular antioxidant enzymes and weights of reproductive organs. . </p>
      <p>Enzymes of steroidogenesis perform a vital role in biosynthesis of different hormones. They consist of several specific cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs), hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs), and steroid reductases <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850874100">17</xref>. It was reported that BPA reduced the expression of the <italic>steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (</italic><italic>StAR</italic><italic>)</italic> and<italic> 3β -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD)</italic><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850871364">18</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850864372">19</xref>. Also, protein expression of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) in male rats was suppressed following BPA exposure, impairing the secretion of androgen hormone by testicular Leydig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850860772">20</xref>. </p>
      <p>Here, using environmentally relevant doses of BPA and for long duration of exposure, we investigated the downstream pathway of chronic exposure of BPA via evaluating its effect on the expression of genes encode steroidogenesis including  <italic>StAR</italic><italic>, 3</italic>β<italic>-HSD,CYP17a, CYP19 and LHR</italic>. Moreover, its effect on serum testosterone level, the index of spermatogenesis and the number of Leydig cells. Histopathological examination of the testes and epididymis were also investigated.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="idm1850513012" sec-type="materials">
      <title>Materials and Methods</title>
      <sec id="idm1850512868">
        <title>Experimental Animals</title>
        <p>Thirty mature Sprague Dawley rats weighted 250-280 g were used. Animals were purchased from the Animal House, Helwan University, Egypt and housed in separate cages in the department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University. Rats were kept in a controlled environment, maintained under a 12 h light; dark cycle, 24⁰C (±3⁰C) and 50-70% humidity and were provided with a standard diet and water <italic>ad-libitum</italic>. Animals received human care in compliance with the guidelines of animal care of the National Institutes of Health, and all animals producers were performed in accordance with the Ethics Committee of the National Research Centre, Egypt, registration number (09/189).</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850512292">
        <title>Chemicals</title>
        <p>Bisphenol-A (4,4 isopropylidenediphenol) (Sigma, Aldrich, Germany) with a molecular weight of 228.29 g/mol was dissolved in corn oil as a vehiclebefore administration. Diethyl ether was used for anesthesia.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850512004">
        <title>Experimental Design</title>
        <p>Rats were kept in polycarbonate cages. The cages as well as the water bottles used in this study were washed, rinsed, and dried several times a week in order to decrease the release of BPA from polycarbonate cages and water bottles <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850849148">21</xref>. Therefore, exposure of experimental animals to phytoestrogens and BPA from these sources was minimal and equal for all groups. Animals were divided into three groups (n=10). A vehicle control group orally gavaged with corn oil, secondgroup received 10 µg/kg BW of BPA in corn oil, while third group received 15 µg/kg BW of BPA in corn oil. Administration was continued every alternate day for 105 days according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850845764">22</xref>.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850511716">
        <title>Blood and Tissue Sampling</title>
        <p>At the end of the experimental period, all experimental rats were anaesthetized using diethyl ether. Blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes for serum separation and stored at -20<sup>o</sup>C until analysis. Both testes were removed; one testis was frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80<sup>o</sup>C for RNA extraction, while the other testis was washed with normal physiological saline and fixed in 10% formaline for  histopathological examination.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850510996">
        <title>Biochemical Analysis</title>
        <p>Serum testosterone hormone was evaluated using commercial  ELISA kits (Biodiagnostic Co., Catalog number: LKTW1, Egypt) according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850839028">23</xref> and measured using Immulite 2000 device. </p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850510708">
        <title>RNA Extraction and Reverse Transcription</title>
        <p>Total RNA was extracted from 50 mg of testis using Trizol reagent according to the manufacturer<sup>,</sup>s instructions (Direct-zol<sup>TM</sup> RNA MiniPrp, catalog No. R2050). The quantity and purity were measured by using Nanodrop technique (UV-Vis spectrophotometer Q5000/USA). The cDNA of each sample was synthesized following the manufacturer's protocol (SensiFasttm<sup>TM</sup> cDNAsynthesis kit, Bioline, catalog No. Bio-65053).</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850503292">
        <title>Quantitative Real Time PCR</title>
        <p>Relative quantification of mRNA levels of <italic>StAR</italic><italic>, CYP17a, aromatase, LHR and 3</italic>β<italic>-HSD</italic> in testes of rats was performed by real-time PCR using SYBR Green PCR Master Mix (2× SensiFast<sup>TM</sup> SYBR, Biolline, catalog NO. Bio-98002). Primer sequences and the size of each amplified PCR product are shown in <xref ref-type="table" rid="idm1853118308">Table 1</xref>. The house keeping gene (B-actin) was used as an internal control. The reaction mixture was carried out in a total volume of 20 µl consisting of 10 µl 2× SensiFast SYBR, 3 µl cDNA, 5.4 µl H<sub>2</sub>O, 0.8 µl of each primer. The PCR cycling conditions were as follows: 95<sup>o</sup>C for 2 min followed by 40 cycles of 94<sup>o</sup>C for 15 sec, annealing temperatures as shown in <xref ref-type="table" rid="idm1853118308">Table 1</xref> for 30 sec, and 72<sup>o</sup>C for 20 sec. At the end of the amplification phase, a melting curve analysis was performed to confirm the specificity of the PCR product. The relative expression of the gene in each sample was compared to that of the internal control (<italic>B-actin</italic>) and calculated according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850836724">24</xref>.</p>
        <table-wrap id="idm1853118308">
          <label>Table 1.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> Oligonucleotide primer sequences, annealing temperature and PCR prduct size of the studied genes.</title>
          </caption>
          <table rules="all" frame="box">
            <tbody>
              <tr>
                <td>Gene</td>
                <td>Oligonucleotide sequence</td>
                <td>Annealing temp. (ºC)</td>
                <td>Size (bp)</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>StAR</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- GGGCATACTCAACAACCAG-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- ACCTCCAGTCGGAACACC-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>58</td>
                <td>111</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>CYP17a</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- CTCTGGGCACTGCATCAC-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- CAAGTAACTCTGCGTGGGT-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>58</td>
                <td>114</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>Aromatase</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- GCCTGTCGTGGACTTGGT-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- GGTAAATTCATTGGGCTTGG-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>58</td>
                <td>142</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>LHR</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- CATTCAATGGGACGACTCTA-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- GCCTGCAATTTGGTGGA-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>55</td>
                <td>130</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>3β-HSD</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- TGTGCCAGCCTTCATCTAC-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- CTTCTCGGCCATCCTTTT-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>56</td>
                <td>145</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td>B-Actin</td>
                <td>f5<sup>,</sup>- TCGTGCGTGACATTAAAGAG-3<sup>,</sup>r5<sup>,</sup>- ATTGCCGATAGTGATGACCT-3<sup>,</sup></td>
                <td>56</td>
                <td>134</td>
              </tr>
            </tbody>
          </table>
        </table-wrap>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850469028">
        <title>Histopathological Examination</title>
        <p>Twenty cross sections of testes and epididymis were taken from each group, fixed in 10% formaline and then processed routinely until being embeded in a  paraffin wax. Paraffin sections of 5 µm thickness were prepared and stained with H&amp;E according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850834204">25</xref>. Histopathological changes were examined by light microscopy. Seminiferous tubules were evaluated for their modified spermatogenesis index in all groups using Johnson’s score in which scoring method ranged from 1 (tubular section without any cell) to 10 (tubular section with regular thickness of germinal epithelium with complete spermatogenesis stages) according to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850827908">26</xref>. The number of Leydig cells was counted in ten random fields of each testicular section per animal in H&amp;E stained slides using (100X) objective power according  to <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850824740">27</xref>.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850468740">
        <title>Statistical Analysis</title>
        <p>All the data obtained from the experiment were expressed as means ± SEM. Statistical analysis of data was carried out by software SPSS program package version 17 (SPSS, 2004) <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850816620">28</xref> using the one-way analysis of variance ANOVA followed by Duncan’s Range Test (DMRT) for testing the significant differences between variables. Results were considered significant only at the level of (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Scores of spermatogenesis index were tested by using a Chi-Square test among the three groups.</p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="idm1850468164" sec-type="results">
      <title>Results</title>
      <sec id="idm1850468020">
        <title>Serum Testosterone Level</title>
        <p>We examined the effect of environmentally relevant doses of BPA on serum level of testosterone. A significant reduction (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) was observed in serum level of testosterone (1.5 ± 0.41; 2.1 ± 0.21 ng/dl) at 10 and 15 μg/kg BPA, respectively compared with the control group (3.7 ± 0.29 ng/dl). However, no significant difference was observed between both BPA-treated groups (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853067644">Figure 1</xref>).</p>
        <fig id="idm1853067644">
          <label>Figure 1.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> Serum level of testosterone (ng/dl) in control and BPA treated rats.</title>
          </caption>
          <graphic xlink:href="images/image1.jpg" mime-subtype="jpg"/>
        </fig>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850466364">
        <title>Gene Expression Patterns</title>
        <p> Steroidogenic enzymes are key factors for the biosynthesis of various steroid hormones. BPA at either 10 or 15 μg/kg significantly down-regulated the relative mRNA expression of <italic>StAR</italic>(0.67 ± 0.09, 0.53 ± 0.88, respectively) compared to control group (1.15 ± 0.16). Expression of<italic> CYP17a</italic> gene was reduced (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) at doses of 10 (0.60 ± 0.12) and 15 μg/kg BPA (0.40 ± 0.15) compared to control group (1.17 ± 0.23). The testicular mRNA expression of <italic>3β-HDS</italic> gene was suppressed after exposure to either 10 or 15 μg/kg BPA (0.75 ± 0.07 and 0.53 ± 0.12, respectively) compared with control group (1.44 ± 0.12) (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05).Nevertheless, BPA significantly up-regulated mRNA relative expression of <italic>CYP19</italic> at 10 (16.14 ± 0.25) and 15 μg/kg (10.17 ± 0.29) in comparison with control group (1.68 ± 0.67). Likewise, LHR gene expression was significantly increasedin second (2.09 ± 0.52) and third groups (2.04 ± 0.19) compared to control group (0.67 ± 0.09). There was no significant difference between both BPA treated groups in all selected genes (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853054588">Figure 2</xref>).</p>
        <fig id="idm1853054588">
          <label>Figure 2.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> mRNA levels of StAR, CYP17a, aromatase, LHR and 3β-HDS in the control and BPA-treated groups. Small alphabetic letters show significance when (P &lt; 0.05).</title>
          </caption>
          <graphic xlink:href="images/image2.png" mime-subtype="png"/>
        </fig>
      </sec>
      <sec id="idm1850462908">
        <title>Histopathological Results</title>
        <p> In the control group, the testes and epididymis displayed normal histological structures (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853051060">Figure 3</xref>a and 3b). The testes in the second group (10 μg/kg BW BPA) showed some seminiferous tubules with few or no late spermatids and a wide, emptied lumen. Vacuolar degeneration was demonstrated in the germinal epithelium (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853051060">Figure 3</xref>c) and partially emptied ducts were encountered in the epididymis (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853051060">Figure 3</xref>d). Meanwhile, testes of the third group (15 μg/kg BW BPA) showed decreased sperm production as indicated by fewer spermatids, no late spermatids and a much wider lumen. Vacuolar degeneration and necrosis were demonstrated in the germinal epithelium (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853051060">Figure 3</xref>e). Partially emptied ducts with marked edema widely separating epididymal ducts were observed (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853051060">Figure 3</xref>f). Concerning index of spermatogenesis, the control group showed highest percentage (80%) of testicular secions scored a 10. However, the highest percentage (79%) and (76%) of testicular sections scored a 7 and 6 (Chi-Square test; value = 447.050a, df = 8, (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.0001) in BPA-treated rats at 10 and 15 µg/kg BW, respectively. Moreover, necrotic interstitial Leydig cells were observed only in several sections of testes from BPA-treated groups (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853050052">Figure 4</xref>a to 4c). The numbers of Leydig cells were significantly lower in BPA-treated groups compared to control (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="idm1853049044">Figure 5</xref>).</p>
        <fig id="idm1853051060">
          <label>Figure 3.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> Sections from control group; the testes (a) and epididymis (b) display normal histological structures. In second group (BPA 10 μg/kg); testes (c) with arrowheads pointing to vacuolar degeneration in  germinal epithelium lining some seminiferous tubules. While, epididymis (d) shows partial emptying epidydmal ducts. In third group (BPA 15 μg/kg); Testis (e) with arrowhead pointing to vacuolar degeneration in germinal epithelium lining some seminiferous tubules and arrows pointing to necrosis in germinal epithelium. Meanwhile, epididymis (f) with a star marking severe edema and widely separating epididymal ducts (X: 100).</title>
          </caption>
          <graphic xlink:href="images/image3.jpg" mime-subtype="jpg"/>
        </fig>
        <fig id="idm1853050052">
          <label>Figure 4.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> (a) Testis from control group shows normal germinal epithelium and interstitial Leydig cells (arrowhead). (b) Testis from second group (BPA 10 μg/kg) shows vacuolated spermatocytes (arrows) and necrotic interstitial Leydig cells (arrowheads). (c) Testis from third group (15 μg/kg) shows necrotic spermatocytes (arrow) and necrotic interstitial Leydig cells (arrowheads) (H&amp;E, X:200).</title>
          </caption>
          <graphic xlink:href="images/image4.jpg" mime-subtype="jpg"/>
        </fig>
        <fig id="idm1853049044">
          <label>Figure 5.</label>
          <caption>
            <title> Number of Leydig cells in testis from control and BPA-treated groups                     (10 or 15 μg/kg BW). Small alphabetic letters show significance when (P &lt; 0.05).</title>
          </caption>
          <graphic xlink:href="images/image5.jpg" mime-subtype="jpg"/>
        </fig>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="idm1850443052" sec-type="discussion">
      <title>Discussion</title>
      <p>Despite its presence in low levels in the environment, exposure to BPA is common among living beings producing several deleterious effects on various physiological mechanisms particularly reproduction <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850814244">29</xref>. The reproductive toxicity of BPA was extensively studied both <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic> in different animal species and cell lines <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850810644">30</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850804108">31</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850800508">32</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850796188">33</xref> with wide range of doses and concentrations of BPA particularly in case of <italic>in vitro</italic> studies. Even in case of <italic>in vivo</italic> studies that used very low doses of BPA, pregnant dams or their pups were used as experimental model, meaning that the exposure to the endocrine disruptor was applied in critical periods of life <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850791868">34</xref>. But concerning to <italic>in vivo</italic> studies in adult animal species, most of them testified high doses of BPA (1 to 240 mg/kg) in adult male rats and mice <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850912252">14</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850907428">15</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850796188">33</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850778916">35</xref>. Whereas, the current reference dose of BPA according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 50 μg/kg bw/day <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850774380">36</xref>. Additionally, it is plausible that BPA is integrated in several daily-used products, thus, exposure of humans to this chemical occurs over prolonged periods of time, as evidenced by the presence of BPA in measurable levels in blood <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850771860">37</xref>. In vivo studies that examined low relevant doses of BPA in adult males are relatively few. Adult male rats exposed to 2 ng to 200 mg /kg/day for 6 days showed reduction in testicular weight and daily production of sperms starting at dose of 20 μg/kg of BPA, but lower doses showed no obvious effects, it could be due to the short exposure period <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850768692">38</xref>. </p>
      <p>Moreover, chronic postnatal exposure of rats to environmentally relevant dose of BPA (2.4 μg/kg/day) for 70 days (from 21 to 90 day) resulted in elevation in serum levels of LH without variation in serum testosterone levels between BPA treated group and control group <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref>. While testosterone production in Lyedig cells was reduced in ex vivo experiment. Likewise, BPA at oral doses of 0.2–20 μg BPA/kg/day for 45-60 days decreased epididymal and testicular weights and induced epididymal oxidative stress in adult rats <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850752484">40</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850750036">41</xref>. Also, adult male mice received BPA at very low doses (2, 25 and 100 ng/kg) for 28 days showed reduction in their fertility represented by lower pregnancy rate and increased resorption sites in female coubled with BPA-exposed males with reductions in the absolute weights of the testes <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850747300">42</xref>. Similarly, BPA at  a dose of 2.4 μg/kg/day for 15 day decreased serum levels of LH and testosterone as well as Leydig cell androgen biosynthetic capacity in postnatal BPA-exposed rats. While BPA at a dose of 10 μg/kg/day for 15 days showed no difference in LH or testosterone concentrations [39), suggesting that the effect of BPA influenced by the administered dose and the exposure period.</p>
      <p>Taken together, we used in the present study, 10 and 15 μg/kg bw BPA, hence, the BPA doses, used here, were lower than the reference limit for humans, also we expand the exposure period to 15 weeks. </p>
      <p>In consistence with previous in vitro and in vivo studies <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850912252">14</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref>, the results of the present study indicated that the exposure of mature male rats to BPA at either 10 or 15 µg/kg BW for 105 successive days significantly decreased the number of Leydig cells and serum testosterone level compared to the control group. Leydig cells are the major producer of testosterone under the influence of luteinizing hormone (LH), thus, lowering in the number of Leydig cells negatively affect testosterone production <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850743916">43</xref>. Such reductions may be attributed to the endocrine disrupting properties of BPA <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850938012">9</xref>, which possesses a weak estrogenic action <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850952364">6</xref> and anti-androgenic effects <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850727860">44</xref>. Moreover, BPA acts as a mitogen in Leydig cells in rats and interfers with the proliferative activity and development of Leydig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850860772">20</xref>. Likewise, production of testosterone was reduced in BPA-exposed TM3 murine Leydig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850724260">45</xref>. </p>
      <p>It was proposed that <italic>StAR</italic><italic>, CYP17a, 3β-HSD</italic> and CYP19 <italic>mRNAs</italic> were predominately expressed in gonads <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850720660">46</xref>. These enzymes are responsible for the process of steroidogenesis aiming to formation of endogenous male hormones (testosterone and androstenedione) via specific cascade of reactions <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850743916">43</xref>. Recent studies have been focused on the effects of BPA on steroid biosynthesis in different animal models. In mammals, BPA at various doses modulates sex hormone levels and changes the expression of steroidogenic genes including <italic>StAR</italic><italic>, CYP17a, 3β-HSD </italic>and<italic> CYP19</italic><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850716844">47</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850707308">48</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850703492">49</xref>. These data could support the present results where BPA significantly down-regulated the expression of mRNA of selected steroidogenic biomarkers with subsequent reduction in the level of testosterone attributing to the direct inhibitory action of BPA on steroidogenesis and potentially disrupts StAR phosphorylation and cholesterol transport to mitochondria <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850700108">50</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850696508">51</xref>. Also, the inhibition of testicular steroidogenesis by BPA was associated with decreased steroidogenic enzyme gene expression in rat Leydig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref>. Reduction in the activity of <italic>3β-HSD</italic> and inhibition of <italic>CYP17a </italic>following BPA exposure were also observed in both rats and human testes microsomes <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850926836">11</xref>.</p>
      <p><italic>Aromatase enzyme (CYP 19)</italic> is a specific form of Cytochrome P450 and is a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of androgen to estrogen in the steroid genesis pathway in the gonads <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850692692">52</xref>. In rat testicular Leydig R2C cells, BPA induced an increase in <italic>CYP19</italic> gene expression and its enzyme and reduced testosterone synthesis <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850682468">53</xref>. On the other side, the expression of gene encode aromatase enzyme was decreased in vitro using rat Lyedig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref>. The current data showed that BPA significantly up-regulated the expression of the <italic>CYP19 </italic>gene, it could be via  the estrogenic effects of BPA <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850678148">54</xref>. In the same respect, BPA stimulated <italic>CYP19 </italic>mRNAexpression and activity mediated by regulation of PKA, AKT and MAP kinase signaling pathways in mouse MA-10 and rat Leydig cells <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850800508">32</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850682468">53</xref>. The induction of <italic>CYP19</italic> expression may be contribute to decreased serum levels of testodterone. </p>
      <p>Previous studies that examined the effect of BPA on LH levels varied in their outcomes, several studies reported inhibitory effect of BPA on seum levels of LH in rats <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850674332">55</xref>, others observed an increase in LH level after exposure of male rats to BPA <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850778916">35</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850670516">56</xref>. But measuring of testicular expression of LHR was scarce. The expression of testicular LHR was redeuced in rats received a dosage of 200 mg/kg/day bisphenol AF (BPAF) <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850649660">57</xref>. Perinatal BPA at doses of 2.5 and 25 μg/kg bw/day suppressed protein expression of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHCGR) <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850860772">20</xref>. </p>
      <p> In the current study, the expression of LHR gene was investigated to monitor the responsiveness range of gonads to gonadotropins when exposed to BPA. A significant up-regulation of LHR in BPA-treated groups was recorded. </p>
      <p>On the other hand, expression of LHR gene was suppressed in mice exposed to BPA <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850645844">58</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850642460">59</xref>. Binding of LH to its receptor (LHR) in Leydig cells triggers a cascade of events that are catalysed by the steroidogenic enzymes to form testosterone <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850639292">60</xref>.  Hence, lower LHR as well as <italic>CYP19</italic> expressions suggested a kind of struggling of steroidogenesis. Alternatively, despite BPA could reduce the production of androgen, an evidence was exist that BPA could interfere with LHR binding <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850635908">61</xref> uncoupling of LH from its receptor possibly contributes to diminished LH stimulation of steroidogenesis. The Higher levels of serum LH in BPA-treated rats were presumably resulted from a reduction in the negative feedback regulation by testosterone.on the hypothalamus and pituitary <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850764876">39</xref>. </p>
      <p>Histopathological lesions were detected in the testes and epididymis from BPA-treated rats. Seminiferous tubules showed vacuolar degeneration and necrosis inBPA-treated rats similar to those reported by Khafaga and Bayad <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850625588">62</xref>. Also, seminiferous epithelial damage was observed in testes of rats exposed to BPA for 42 days represented by disruption of intercellular junctions and sloughing of germ cells into the seminiferous tubular lumen <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850622420">63</xref>. Indeed, the decrease of spermatogenesis index and Leydig cell numbers in BPA-treated groups is in consistent with lower testosterone levels in BPA-treated groups compared to control group. The index of spermatogenesis is one of the most important indicators of the state of spermatogenic layer <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850618604">64</xref>. The decrease in this indicator always indicates disturbances of spermatogenesis and decreased functional activity of seminal gland as well as a reduction of the functional activity of the testes.  <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850618604">64</xref>. Moreover, the current results are in agreement with previous studies reported the opposing effect of BPA on spermatogenesis and total sperm count <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850615580">65</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850611764">66</xref><xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ridm1850604140">67</xref>.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="idm1850425396" sec-type="conclusions">
      <title>Conclusion</title>
      <p>BPA supplementation could affect steroidogenesis via lowering serum levels of testosterone, altering the expression patterns of steroidogenic genes, exerting histopathological lesions in the testes and epididymis and lowering index of spermatogenesis as well as the number of Leydig cells in adult male rats.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="idm1850424820">
      <title>Funding</title>
      <p>This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for -profit sectors.</p>
    </sec>
  </body>
  <back>
    <ack>
      <p>We would like to acknowledge Barry long, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&amp;M University, USA, Lauren Gentry, Texas A&amp;M University Writing Center, USA, Ahmed Balboula, Cambrige University UK  for their efforts in English editing of the present manuscript.</p>
    </ack>
    <ref-list>
      <ref id="ridm1851102692">
        <label>1.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Fleisch</surname>
            <given-names>A F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Sheffeid</surname>
            <given-names>P E</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>C</surname>
            <given-names>Edelstein</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>BL</surname>
            <given-names/>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Landrigan</surname>
            <given-names>P J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bissphenol A and related compounds in dental materials</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Pediatrics</source>
          <volume>126</volume>
          <fpage>760</fpage>
          <lpage>768</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1851111348">
        <label>2.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Goodson</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Robin</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Summerfield</surname>
            <given-names>W</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Cooper</surname>
            <given-names>I</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Migration of bisphenol A from can coatings effects of damage, storage conditions and heating (2004) Food Addit</article-title>
          <source>Contam</source>
          <volume>21</volume>
          <fpage>1015</fpage>
          <lpage>1026</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1851168628">
        <label>3.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Michalowicz</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A-Sources, toxicity and biotransformation</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2014</year>
          </date>
          <source>Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol</source>
          <volume>300</volume>
          <fpage>1301</fpage>
          <lpage>1310</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850962276">
        <label>4.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Ritter</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Debating BPA toxicity</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2011</year>
          </date>
          <source>Chem. Engin. News</source>
          <volume>89</volume>
          <fpage>5</fpage>
          <lpage>13</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850957700">
        <label>5.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Mikołajewska</surname>
            <given-names>K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Stragierowicz</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Gromadzińska</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A - Application, sources of exposure and potential risks in infants, children and pregnant women</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2015</year>
          </date>
          <source>Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health</source>
          <volume>28</volume>
          <fpage>209</fpage>
          <lpage>241</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850952364">
        <label>6.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Xi</surname>
            <given-names>W</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Lee</surname>
            <given-names>C K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Yeung</surname>
            <given-names>W S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Giesy</surname>
            <given-names>J P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wong</surname>
            <given-names>M H</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effect of perinatal and postnatal bisphenol A exposure to the regulatory circuits at the hypothalamus-Pituitary-gonadal axis of CD-1 mice</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2011</year>
          </date>
          <source>Reprod. Toxicol</source>
          <volume>31</volume>
          <issue>4</issue>
          <fpage>409</fpage>
          <lpage>417</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850946780">
        <label>7.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Wetherill</surname>
            <given-names>Y B</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Akingbemi</surname>
            <given-names>B T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kanno</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>McLachlan</surname>
            <given-names>J A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Nadal</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <date>
            <year>2007</year>
          </date>
          <source>Reprod. Toxicol</source>
          <volume>24</volume>
          <fpage>178</fpage>
          <lpage>198</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850941828">
        <label>8.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Lang</surname>
            <given-names>I A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Galloway</surname>
            <given-names>T S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Scarlett</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Henley</surname>
            <given-names>W E</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Depledge</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Association of urinary bisphenol A concentration with medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities in adults</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2008</year>
          </date>
          <source>JAMA</source>
          <volume>300</volume>
          <fpage>1301</fpage>
          <lpage>1310</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850938012">
        <label>9.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Saal</surname>
            <given-names>Vom</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>FS</surname>
            <given-names/>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hughes</surname>
            <given-names>C</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>An extensive new literature concerning low-dose effects of bisphenol A shows the need for a new risk assessment (2005) Environ. Health Perspect</article-title>
          <volume>113</volume>
          <fpage>926</fpage>
          <lpage>933</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850931692">
        <label>10.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Anjum</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Rahman</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kaur</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ahmad</surname>
            <given-names>F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Rashid</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Melatonin ameliorates bisphenol A induced biochemical toxicity in testicular mitochondria of mouse (2011) Food Chem</article-title>
          <source>Toxicol</source>
          <volume>49</volume>
          <fpage>2849</fpage>
          <lpage>2854</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850926836">
        <label>11.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Ye</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Zhao</surname>
            <given-names>B</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hu</surname>
            <given-names>G</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Chu</surname>
            <given-names>Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ge</surname>
            <given-names>R S</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Inhibition of human and rat testicular steroidogenic enzyme activities by bisphenol A</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2011</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Lett</source>
          <volume>207</volume>
          <fpage>137</fpage>
          <lpage>142</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850921828">
        <label>12.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Gupta</surname>
            <given-names>C</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Reproductive malformation of the male offspring following maternal exposure to estrogenic chemicals</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2000</year>
          </date>
          <source>Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med</source>
          <volume>224</volume>
          <fpage>61</fpage>
          <lpage>68</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850918876">
        <label>13.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Dobrzyńska</surname>
            <given-names>M M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Radzikowska</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Genotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A and X-ray/bisphenol A combination in male mice Drug Chem</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2013</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol</source>
          <volume>36</volume>
          <fpage>19</fpage>
          <lpage>26</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850912252">
        <label>14.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Nakamura</surname>
            <given-names>D</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Yanagiba</surname>
            <given-names>Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Duan</surname>
            <given-names>Z</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ito</surname>
            <given-names>Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Okamura</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A may cause testosterone reduction by adversely affecting both testis and pituitary systems similar to estradiol</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Lett</source>
          <volume>194</volume>
          <fpage>16</fpage>
          <lpage>25</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850907428">
        <label>15.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>El-Shafey</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Lipoic acid mitigates bisphenol A-induced testicular mitochondria toxicity in rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2012</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Ind. Health</source>
          <volume>29</volume>
          <fpage>875</fpage>
          <lpage>887</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850878132">
        <label>16.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Kourouma</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Peng</surname>
            <given-names>D</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Chao</surname>
            <given-names>Q</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Lopez</surname>
            <given-names>Y T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Changjiang</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the liver and affect epididymal semen quality in adults Sprague-Dawley rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2014</year>
          </date>
          <source>J. Toxicol. Environ. Health Sci</source>
          <volume>6</volume>
          <issue>4</issue>
          <fpage>103</fpage>
          <lpage>112</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850874100">
        <label>17.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Sanderson</surname>
            <given-names>J T</given-names>
          </name>
          <date>
            <year>2006</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Sci</source>
          <volume>94</volume>
          <fpage>3</fpage>
          <lpage>21</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850871364">
        <label>18.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Hatef</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Alavi</surname>
            <given-names>SMH</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Abdulfatah</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Fontaine</surname>
            <given-names>P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Rodina</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Adverse effects of bisphenol A on reproductive physiology in male goldfish at environmentally – relevant cncentrations</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2012</year>
          </date>
          <source>Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf</source>
          <volume>76</volume>
          <fpage>56</fpage>
          <lpage>62</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850864372">
        <label>19.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>D´Cruz</surname>
            <given-names>S C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Jubendradass</surname>
            <given-names>R</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Jayakanthan</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Rani</surname>
            <given-names>S J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Mathur</surname>
            <given-names>P P</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A impairs insulin signaling and glucose hemeostasis and decreases steroidogenesis in rat testis: an in vivo and in silico study (2012) Food Chem</article-title>
          <source>Toxicol</source>
          <volume>50</volume>
          <fpage>1124</fpage>
          <lpage>1133</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850860772">
        <label>20.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Nanjappa</surname>
            <given-names>M K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Simon</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Akingbemi</surname>
            <given-names>B T</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>The industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) interfers with proliferative activity and development of steroidogenic capacity in rats Leydig cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2012</year>
          </date>
          <source>Biol. Reprod</source>
          <volume>86</volume>
          <fpage>135</fpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850849148">
        <label>21.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Howdeshell</surname>
            <given-names>K L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>P</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Judy</surname>
            <given-names>B M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Taylor</surname>
            <given-names>J A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Orazio</surname>
            <given-names>C E</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A is released from used polycarbonate animal cages into water at room temperature (2003) Environ. Health Perspect</article-title>
          <volume>111</volume>
          <fpage>1180</fpage>
          <lpage>1187</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850845764">
        <label>22.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>FRS</surname>
            <given-names>Vom Saal</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Cooke</surname>
            <given-names>P S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Palanuza</surname>
            <given-names>P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Palanza</surname>
            <given-names>P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Thayer</surname>
            <given-names>K A</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>A physiological based approach to the study of Bisphenol- A and other estrogenic chemicals on the size of reproductive organs, daily sperm production and behavior</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>1998</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Ind. Health14(1-2)</source>
          <fpage>239</fpage>
          <lpage>260</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850839028">
        <label>23.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal"><name><surname>Tietz</surname><given-names>N W</given-names></name><date><year>1995</year></date>
Clinical guide to laboratory testes.3ndEd.WB Saunders,Co. Piladelphina



</mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850836724">
        <label>24.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Pfaffi</surname>
            <given-names>M W</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>A new mathematical model for relative quantification in real time RT-PCR (2001) Nucleic Acids Res</article-title>
          <volume>119</volume>
          <fpage>209</fpage>
          <lpage>217</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850834204">
        <label>25.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="book">
          <name>
            <surname>Bancroft</surname>
            <given-names>J D</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Gamble</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <date>
            <year>2007</year>
          </date>
          <chapter-title>Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques. 5thEd.Churchill Livingstone.London.UK</chapter-title>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850827908">
        <label>26.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Johnson</surname>
            <given-names>S G</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Testicular biopsy score count-a method for 12 registration of spermatogenesis in human testes: normal value and results of 355 hypogonadal males</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>1970</year>
          </date>
          <source>Hormones</source>
          <volume>1</volume>
          <issue>1</issue>
          <fpage>2</fpage>
          <lpage>25</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850824740">
        <label>27.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Otoom</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Bataineh</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hassan</surname>
            <given-names>Z</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Daoud</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effect of long term use of Topiramate on fertility and growth parameters in adult male rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2004</year>
          </date>
          <source>Neuro. endocrinol. Lett</source>
          <volume>25</volume>
          <issue>5</issue>
          <fpage>351</fpage>
          <lpage>365</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850816620">
        <label>28.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>SPSS</surname>
            <given-names>P C</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>SPSS for windows release 17 SPSS.Inc.USA</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2004</year>
          </date>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850814244">
        <label>29.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Sweeney</surname>
            <given-names>M F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hasan</surname>
            <given-names>N</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Soto</surname>
            <given-names>A M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Sonnenschein</surname>
            <given-names>C</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Environmental endocrine disruptors: Effects on the human male reproductive system</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2015</year>
          </date>
          <source>Rev. Endocr. Metab. Disord</source>
          <volume>16</volume>
          <fpage>341</fpage>
          <lpage>357</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850810644">
        <label>30.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Deng</surname>
            <given-names>M X</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wu</surname>
            <given-names>D S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Chen</surname>
            <given-names>X G</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Zhang</surname>
            <given-names>L S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Xu</surname>
            <given-names>P Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Experimental studies on male reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A in vitro and vivo</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2004</year>
          </date>
          <source>Chin. J. Prev. Med</source>
          <volume>38</volume>
          <fpage>383</fpage>
          <lpage>387</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850804108">
        <label>31.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Zhang</surname>
            <given-names>X</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Chang</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wiseman</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>He</surname>
            <given-names>Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Higley</surname>
            <given-names>E</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A disrupts steroidogenesis in human H295R cells (2011) Toxicol Sci</article-title>
          <source>J</source>
          <volume>121</volume>
          <fpage>320</fpage>
          <lpage>327</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850800508">
        <label>32.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Lan</surname>
            <given-names>H C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wu</surname>
            <given-names>K Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Lin</surname>
            <given-names>I W</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Yang</surname>
            <given-names>Z J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Chang</surname>
            <given-names>A A</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A disrupts steroidogenesis and induces a sex hormone imbalance through c-Jun phosphorylation in Leydig cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2017</year>
          </date>
          <source>Chemosphere</source>
          <volume>185</volume>
          <fpage>237</fpage>
          <lpage>246</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850796188">
        <label>33.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Samova</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Patel</surname>
            <given-names>C N</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Doctor</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Pandyab</surname>
            <given-names>H A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Verma</surname>
            <given-names>R J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>The effect of bisphenol A on testicular steroidogenesis and its amelioration by quercetin: an in vivo and in silico approach</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2018</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Res</source>
          <volume>7</volume>
          <fpage>22</fpage>
          <lpage>31</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850791868">
        <label>34.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Kawai</surname>
            <given-names>K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Nozaki</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Nishikata</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Aou</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Takii</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Aggressive behavior and serum testosterone concentration during the maturation process of male mice: the effects of fetal exposure to bisphenol A Environ. Health Perspect</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2003</year>
          </date>
          <volume>111</volume>
          <fpage>175</fpage>
          <lpage>178</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850778916">
        <label>35.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Tohei</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Suda</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Taya</surname>
            <given-names>K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hashimoto</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kogo</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A inhibits testicular functions and increases luteinizing hormone secretion in adult male rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2001</year>
          </date>
          <source>Exp. Biol. Med</source>
          <volume>226</volume>
          <issue>3</issue>
          <fpage>216</fpage>
          <lpage>221</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850774380">
        <label>36.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>U</surname>
            <given-names>S EPA</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>A Review of the reference dose and reference concentration process. Environmental Protection Agency;</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2002</year>
          </date>
          <publisher-loc>Washington DC U.S.:</publisher-loc>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850771860">
        <label>37.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Takeuchi</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Tsutsumi</surname>
            <given-names>O</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Serum bisphenol a concentrations showed gender differences, possibly linked to androgen levels</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2002</year>
          </date>
          <source>Biochem. Biophys. Res.Commun</source>
          <volume>291</volume>
          <fpage>76</fpage>
          <lpage>78</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850768692">
        <label>38.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Sakaue</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ohsako</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ishimura</surname>
            <given-names>R</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kurosawa</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kurohmaru</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol-A Affects Spermatogenesis in the Adult Rat Even at a Low Dose</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2001</year>
          </date>
          <source>J. Occup. Health</source>
          <volume>43</volume>
          <fpage>185</fpage>
          <lpage>190</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850764876">
        <label>39.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Akingbemi</surname>
            <given-names>B T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Sottas</surname>
            <given-names>C M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Koulova</surname>
            <given-names>A I</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>G</surname>
            <given-names>R Klinefelter</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>M</surname>
            <given-names>P Hardy</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Inhibition of testicular steroidogenesis by the xenoestrogeen bisphenol a is associated with reduced pituitary luteinizing hormone secretion and decreased steroidogenic enzyme gene expression in rat Leydig cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2004</year>
          </date>
          <source>Endocrinology</source>
          <volume>145</volume>
          <fpage>592</fpage>
          <lpage>603</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850752484">
        <label>40.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Chitra</surname>
            <given-names>K C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Latchoumycandane</surname>
            <given-names>C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Mathur</surname>
            <given-names>P P</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Induction of oxidative stress by bisphenol A in the epididymal sperm of rats (2003a)</article-title>
          <source>Toxicol</source>
          <volume>185</volume>
          <fpage>119</fpage>
          <lpage>127</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850750036">
        <label>41.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Mathur</surname>
            <given-names>P P</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effect of bisphenol A and co-administration of bisphenol A and vitamin C on epididymis of adult rats: a histological and biochemical study (2003b)</article-title>
          <source>Asian J. Androl</source>
          <volume>5</volume>
          <fpage>203</fpage>
          <lpage>208</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850747300">
        <label>42.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Al-Hiyasa</surname>
            <given-names>t AS</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Darmani</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Elbetieha</surname>
            <given-names>A M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effects of bisphenol A on adult male mouse fertility</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2002</year>
          </date>
          <source>Eur. J. Oral Sci</source>
          <volume>110</volume>
          <fpage>163</fpage>
          <lpage>167</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850743916">
        <label>43.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal"><name><surname>Tomáš</surname><given-names>J</given-names></name><name><surname>Bistáková</surname><given-names>J</given-names></name><name><surname>Greifová</surname><given-names>H</given-names></name><name><surname>Tvrdá</surname><given-names>E</given-names></name><name><surname>Lukáč</surname><given-names>N</given-names></name><article-title>Male Reproduction: One of the Primary Targets of Bisphenol, Bisphenol A Exposure and Health Risks, Dr. Pinar Erkekoǧlu (Ed.)doi:</article-title><date><year>2017</year></date>
10.5772/intechopen.68629. InTech



<pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.5772/intechopen.68629</pub-id></mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850727860">
        <label>44.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Teng</surname>
            <given-names>C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Goodwin</surname>
            <given-names>B</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Shockley</surname>
            <given-names>K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Xia</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Huang</surname>
            <given-names>R</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A affects androgen receptor function via multiple mechanisms</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2013</year>
          </date>
          <source>Chem. Biol. Interact</source>
          <fpage>556</fpage>
          <lpage>564</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850724260">
        <label>45.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Gonçalves</surname>
            <given-names>G D</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Semprebon</surname>
            <given-names>S C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Biazi</surname>
            <given-names>B I</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Mantovani</surname>
            <given-names>M S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Fernandes</surname>
            <given-names>GSA</given-names>
          </name>
          <date>
            <year>2018</year>
          </date>
          <source>Reprod. Toxicol</source>
          <volume>76</volume>
          <fpage>26</fpage>
          <lpage>34</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850720660">
        <label>46.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Wang</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Liu</surname>
            <given-names>X</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wang</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wu</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hu</surname>
            <given-names>X</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Expression of two cytochrome P450 aromatase genes is regulated by endocrine disrupting chemicals in rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus Juveniles</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C Toxicol. Pharmacol</source>
          <volume>152</volume>
          <fpage>313</fpage>
          <lpage>320</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850716844">
        <label>47.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Grasselli</surname>
            <given-names>F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Baratta</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Baioni</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Bussolati</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ramoni</surname>
            <given-names>R</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A disrupts granulosa cell function</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Domest. Anim. Endocrinol</source>
          <volume>39</volume>
          <fpage>34</fpage>
          <lpage>39</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850707308">
        <label>48.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Peretz</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Gupta</surname>
            <given-names>R</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Singh</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Hernández-Ochoa</surname>
            <given-names>I</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>J</surname>
            <given-names>A Flaws</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol A impairs follicle growth inhibits steroidogenesis and downregulates rate limiting enzymes in the estradiol biosynthesis pathway</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2011</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Sci</source>
          <volume>2011</volume>
          <fpage>351</fpage>
          <lpage>365</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850703492">
        <label>49.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Zhou</surname>
            <given-names>W</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Liu</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Liao</surname>
            <given-names>L</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Han</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Liu</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effect of bisphenol A on steroid hormone production in rat ovarian theca-interstitial and granulosa cells (2008) Mol. Cell Endocrinol</article-title>
          <volume>283</volume>
          <fpage>12</fpage>
          <lpage>18</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850700108">
        <label>50.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Allen</surname>
            <given-names>J A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Shankara</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Janus</surname>
            <given-names>P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Buck</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Diemer</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Energized, Polarized, and actively respiring mitochondria are required for acute Leydig cell steroidogenesis Endocrinology</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2006</year>
          </date>
          <volume>147</volume>
          <fpage>3924</fpage>
          <lpage>3935</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850696508">
        <label>51.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Chouhan</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Yadav</surname>
            <given-names>S K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Prakash</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Westfall</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Ghosh</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Increase in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase on exposure to bisphenol A: A possible cause for decline in steroidogenesis in male mice</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2015</year>
          </date>
          <source>Environ. Toxicol. Pharm</source>
          <volume>50</volume>
          <fpage>1124</fpage>
          <lpage>1133</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850692692">
        <label>52.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Carreau</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Wolczynski</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Galeraud-Denis I Aromatase, oestrogens and human male reproduction</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B</source>
          <volume>365</volume>
          <fpage>1571</fpage>
          <lpage>1579</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850682468">
        <label>53.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Kim</surname>
            <given-names>J Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Han</surname>
            <given-names>E H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kim</surname>
            <given-names>H G</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Oh</surname>
            <given-names>K N</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kim</surname>
            <given-names>S K</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>BPA-induced aromatase activation is mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 up-regulation in rat testicular Leydig cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2010</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Lett</source>
          <volume>193</volume>
          <fpage>200</fpage>
          <lpage>208</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850678148">
        <label>54.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Canton</surname>
            <given-names>D F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Sanderson</surname>
            <given-names>J T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Letcher</surname>
            <given-names>R J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Bergman</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Berg</surname>
            <given-names>M van den</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Inhibition and induction of aromatase (CYP19) activity by brominated flame retardants in H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2005</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Sci</source>
          <volume>88</volume>
          <fpage>447</fpage>
          <lpage>455</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850674332">
        <label>55.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Wisniewski</surname>
            <given-names>P</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Romano</surname>
            <given-names>R M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kizys</surname>
            <given-names>MML</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Oliveira</surname>
            <given-names>K C</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kasamatsu</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Adult exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in Wistar rats reduces sperm quality with disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2015</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol</source>
          <volume>329</volume>
          <fpage>1</fpage>
          <lpage>9</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850670516">
        <label>56.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Gámez</surname>
            <given-names>J M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Romina</surname>
            <given-names>Penalba R</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Cardoso</surname>
            <given-names>N</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Osvaldo</surname>
            <given-names>Ponzo O</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Carbone</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Low dose of bisphenol A impairs the reproductive axis of prepuberal male rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2014</year>
          </date>
          <source>J. Physiol. Biochem</source>
          <volume>70</volume>
          <fpage>239</fpage>
          <lpage>246</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850649660">
        <label>57.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Feng</surname>
            <given-names>Y</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Yin</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Jiao</surname>
            <given-names>Z</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Shi</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Li</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Bisphenol AF may cause testosterone reduction by directly affecting testis function in adult male rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2012</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Lett</source>
          <volume>211</volume>
          <fpage>201</fpage>
          <lpage>209</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850645844">
        <label>58.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="book">
          <name>
            <surname>Eo</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Lim</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Effects of Bisphenol A</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2008</year>
          </date>
          <source>Kor. J. Fertil. Steril</source>
          <chapter-title>on Gene Expression and Apoptosis of Leydig Cells in the Mouse Testis</chapter-title>
          <volume>35</volume>
          <fpage>181</fpage>
          <lpage>191</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850642460">
        <label>59.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal"><name><surname>Savchuk</surname><given-names>I</given-names></name><name><surname>Söder</surname><given-names>O</given-names></name><name><surname>Svechnikov</surname><given-names>K</given-names></name><article-title>Mouse leydig cells with different androgen production potential are resistant to estrogenic stimuli but responsive to bisphenol a which attenuates testosterone metabolism</article-title><date><year>2013</year></date>
PLoS ONE 8
<fpage>71722</fpage></mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850639292">
        <label>60.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Abdou</surname>
            <given-names>H S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Bergeron</surname>
            <given-names>F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Tremblaya</surname>
            <given-names>J J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>A cell-autonomous molecular cascade initiated by AMP-activated protein kinase represses steroidogenesis</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2014</year>
          </date>
          <source>Mol. Cell. Biol</source>
          <volume>34</volume>
          <fpage>4257</fpage>
          <lpage>4271</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850635908">
        <label>61.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Nikula</surname>
            <given-names>H</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Talonpoika</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Kaleva</surname>
            <given-names>M</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Toppari</surname>
            <given-names>J</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Inhibition of hCG-stimulated steroidogenesis in cultured mouse Leydig tumor cells by bisphenol A and octylphenols</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>1999</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol</source>
          <volume>157</volume>
          <fpage>166</fpage>
          <lpage>173</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850625588">
        <label>62.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Khafaga</surname>
            <given-names>A F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Bayad</surname>
            <given-names>A E</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Impact of Ginkgo biloba Extract on Reproductive Toxicity Induced by Single or Repeated Injection of Cisplatin in Adult Male Rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2016</year>
          </date>
          <source>Int. J. Pharmacol</source>
          <volume>12</volume>
          <fpage>340</fpage>
          <lpage>350</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850622420">
        <label>63.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Gurmeet</surname>
            <given-names>K S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Rosnh</surname>
            <given-names>I</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Normadiah</surname>
            <given-names>M K</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Das</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Mustafa</surname>
            <given-names>A M</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Detrimental effects of bisphenol A on development and functions of the male reproductive system in experimental rats</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2014</year>
          </date>
          <source>EXCLI J</source>
          <volume>13</volume>
          <fpage>151</fpage>
          <lpage>160</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850618604">
        <label>64.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Potemina</surname>
            <given-names>T E</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Impairment of Spermatogenesis in Male Rats during Stress</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2008</year>
          </date>
          <source>Bull. Exp. Biol. Med</source>
          <volume>145</volume>
          <fpage>700</fpage>
          <lpage>702</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850615580">
        <label>65.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>S</surname>
            <given-names>De Flora</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>R</surname>
            <given-names>T Micale</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>M</surname>
            <given-names>S La</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Izzotti</surname>
            <given-names>A</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>D’Agostini</surname>
            <given-names>F</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Upregulation of clusterin in prostate and DNA damage in spermatozoa from bisphenol A-treated rats and formation of DNA adducts in cultured human prostatic cells</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2011</year>
          </date>
          <source>Toxicol. Sci</source>
          <volume>122</volume>
          <fpage>45</fpage>
          <lpage>51</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850611764">
        <label>66.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Hauburge</surname>
            <given-names>E</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Petit</surname>
            <given-names>F</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>M</surname>
            <given-names>J Gage</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Reduced sperm counts in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) following exposure to low levels of tributyltin and bisphenol A</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2000</year>
          </date>
          <source>Proc. Biol. Sci</source>
          <volume>267</volume>
          <fpage>2333</fpage>
          <lpage>2337</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
      <ref id="ridm1850604140">
        <label>67.</label>
        <mixed-citation xlink:type="simple" publication-type="journal">
          <name>
            <surname>Salian</surname>
            <given-names>S</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Doshi</surname>
            <given-names>T</given-names>
          </name>
          <name>
            <surname>Vanage</surname>
            <given-names>G</given-names>
          </name>
          <article-title>Neonatal exposure of male rats to Bisphenol A impairs fertility and expression of sertoli cell junctional proteins in the testis Toxicol.265(1-2)</article-title>
          <date>
            <year>2009</year>
          </date>
          <fpage>56</fpage>
          <lpage>67</lpage>
        </mixed-citation>
      </ref>
    </ref-list>
  </back>
</article>
