Effects of cypermethrin on cytokeratin 8/18 and androgen receptor expression in the adult mouse Sertoli cell

Background With the explosive population growth an increased use of land for cultivation purposes and the usage of biotechnologies in agriculture—such as pesticides—respond to the need for more efficient systems. However, improper application of pesticides has a negative effect on the environment, on exposed animals and on humans. Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is an insecticide with low risk to human and animal health and with broad insecticidal activity against a large number of pests. Studies in humans and animals show morphological and functional alterations in different organs exposed to cypermethrin. Pyrethroids are chemicals with structural similarity to pyrethrins and possess increased toxicity to insects over mammals. Objective This research analyzes the variations of the state of differentiation of Sertoli cells and androgen receptor expression in testes of healthy adult mice exposed to cypermethrin. Material and method Mice were divided into three groups: control 1 (untreated), control 2 (inoculated intraperitoneally with 0.1 ml of vegetable oil), and the experimental group 3 (inoculated with 1/5 of the lethal dose 50 (LD₅₀ = 485 mg/kg) of cypermethrin). Results Cypermethrin exerts acute and chronic effects on Sertoli cells in the testis of the adult mouse. These effects are manifested by the significant increase in epithelial height and the dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells evidenced through the presence of the Ck 8/18-type intermediate filament—a characteristic of differentiating cells—especially considering the functional cyclicity of the testicular compartment. Conclusions Cypermethrin significantly affects the structure and function of Sertoli cells through the cytoskeleton and the state of maturation.