The Effect of Xylene and Formaldehyde Inhalation on Testicular Tissue in Rats*

In this study, changes in testicular tissues of rats subjected to xylene and formaldehyde inhalation were evaluated. Three experimental groups were included in the study. Each group of rats was exposed to formaldehyde (6 ppm), technical xylene (300 ppm) or a combination of these two agents (150 ppm+3 ppm) for 8 weeks (8 h/d). Control groups were maintained for a period of eight weeks under the same conditions. Staining methods (triple staining, strep ABC method) were applied to examine histometric changes and relaxin like factor (RLF) expression in the testicular tissue. Immunostaining for RLF showed that density of staining for RLF decreased in rats exposed to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde or a combination of formaldehyde and xylene led to a decrease in seminiferous epithelial height. In conclusion, exposure of rats to formaldehyde and xylene-formaldehyde combinations adversely affects Leydig cells (RLF) and seminiferous epithelium of testicular tissue. (