Neurotoxicity and Oxidative Damage Induced from Exposure of Male Rats to Low doses of the Synthetic Environmental Contaminant Tributyltin

Tributyltin chloride (TBT) is an organotin compound widely used in several high biocides for agro-industrial applications, such as fungicides, and marine antifouling paints leading to endocrine disrupting actions, such as imposex development in mollusks. The current study investigates DNA damage, changes in brain drug-metabolizing enzymes, lipid profile, and oxidative damage of TBT at low doses 10, 100, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 μg/kg B.W. in male rats. The animals were divided into eight equal groups which treated daily by oral gavage for 45 days. Administration of TBT induced a dose-dependent increase in the DNA damage and TBARS. Also, it decreases the expression of the regulator of the antioxidant response (the levels of glutathione and the activities of GR, GPX, CAT, and SOD). TBT did not show any significant effect of brain drug-metabolizing enzymes (cytochrome b5 and cytochrome p450). TBT at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 μg/kg B.W. showed significant increase in lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL), but HDL showed significant decrease. In conclusion, the obtained results provide evidence that exposure to TBT at low doses causes oxidative stress, DNA damage, and changes in biochemical parameters in a dose dependent manner.