Evaluation of gibberellic acid toxicity on pre and postnatal ovarian development and potential protective effect of selenium in albino rats: histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical study

Gibberellic acid (GA3) is a biocide with insecticidal properties. Selenium (Se) has an enzymatic structure that mediates its antioxidant activities. This study aimed to assess the GA3 toxicity on pre and postnatal ovarian development and to investigate the protective effect of Se against GA3 toxicity in albino rats. Two experiments were conducted in this study (n=24 rats for each): the first was performed on pregnant female rats and the second on prepubertal females (4 weeks old). Rats were divided into Group I (controls: Ia, negative and Ib, positive rats received sodium selenite 0.3 mg/kg/body weight); Group II (GA3-treated, the rats received 55 mg/kg, 1/100 of lethal dose 50); and Group III (the rats were cotreated with GA3 plus Se). Treatments in the first experiment began at gestational day 7 until postnatal day 4, while in the second experiment, treatments lasted two weeks. All hormonal levels were decreased in pre and postnatal GA3 rats' exposure. Histological examination of GA3-treated prenatal rats showed disturbance in ovarian development as shown by ovigerous cords with germ cell breakdown. Meanwhile, multiple histopathological and developmental changes occur in all stages of the ovarian follicles in postnatal rats. In both developmental ages, there was collagen deposition with decreased proliferative marker and androgen receptor expressions, which was confirmed by a decrease in the morphometric measures of the ovarian follicles. All biochemical, immunostaining, and histological results were improved after Se co-administration due to its antioxidant activity against GA3 toxicity.