The possible ameliorative role of Lycopene on Tributyltin induced thyroid damage in adult male albino rats (Histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical study)

Abstract

Abstract Tributyltin is commonly used in many industrial applications. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Tributyltin on the structure and function of the thyroid glands of adult male albino rats and the possible protective role of Lycopene. Twenty-one adult male albino rats were classified into three groups: Control, treated that received tributyltin and protective that received lycopene with tributyltin. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were subjected to a hormonal assay of total T3, T4 and thyrotropin (TSH). The tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were estimated. Additionally, the samples of thyroid gland tissue were processed for histological and immunohistochemical study. The collected results underwent morphometric and statistical analysis. The treated group showed deterioration of thyroid functions with thyroid structural changes as vacuolated cytoplasm, dark nuclei and vacuolated colloid. There was increase in the immunoexpression of caspase 3 and decrease in the immunoexpression of beclin 1. Administration of Lycopene showed improvement in the biochemical parameters and thyroid structure. Lycopene has a protective role against tributyltin-induced thyroid gland damage.