Sperm quality and oxidative stress in chub Squalius orientalis and Padanian barbel Barbus plebejus (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) after in vitro exposure to low doses of bisphenol A

In an aquatic environment, the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA) adversely affects reproduction, biology, behavior, gonads, and early larval development of fish due to being endocrine-disrupting compound. In addition, the detected concentration of BPA in water bodies is reported to be higher than 0.41 μg/L. As an alternative tool, sperm cells are used in toxicological assays for the reliable and practical assessment. For these reasons, we examined the effects of in vitro exposure of BPA on sperm quality of chub Squalius oriantalis and Padanian barbel Barbus plebejus. Spermatozoa were exposed to lower concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 µg/L) of BPA for 2 h. The enzymatic activities [glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were evaluated in spermatozoa. The results demonstrated that BPA exposure significantly decreased activities of SOD and GSH-Px but increased CAT activity and lipid peroxidation (MDA). Compared to control, the percentage and duration of sperm motility significantly decreased. Overall, spermatozoa clearly showed the sensitivity to lower concentrations of BPA.