Effects of Fluoride on the Mouse Sperm Morphology Test

Abstract

There has been little information and much confusion regarding the genotoxic effects of fluoride. The purpose of this study was to examine the spermatogenic influence of sodium fluoride (NaF) on the germ cells by means of the mouse sperm morphology test. Male mice of genotype B₆C₃F₁ were obtained at about eight weeks of age and maintained on a low-fluoride diet (<0.2 ppm F) and distilled water ad libitum throughout the experiment. At approximately 13 weeks of age, the animals were randomly assigned to eight groups. Group I was intubated with the Maximum Tolerable Dosage (MTD) of NaF (70 mg/kg). Groups II through VI received NaF by stomach intubation at doses of 35, 20, 10, 1, and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively. Group VII served as a negative control and was intubated with distilled water. The positive control, Group VIII, was exposed to a known mutagen, cyclophosphamide (20 mglkg, i.p). The animals were treated daily for five days, and killed by cervical dislocation 35 days after the first exposure to chemicals. Slides of sperm from the cauda epididymides were prepared and blindly scored for morphological abnormalities. Weight of the testes was recorded, and the femurs were saved for fluoride (F) analysis. Analysis of bone F demonstrated the effective absorption of fluoride following intubation. The counts of abnormal sperm and the weights of the testes for mice exposed to NaF doses up to the MTD were not significantly different from those of the negative control. The results of this study showed that NaF did not have adverse effects on mouse sperm morphology.

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