Dietary antioxidant, quercetin, protects sertoli-germ cell coculture from atrazine-induced oxidative damage.

Quercetin (QT), a dietary-derived flavonoid, is ubiquitous in fruits and vegetables and plays an important role in human health by virtue of its antioxidant function. The present study was designed to examine the effects of QT on oxidative damage that was induced by the herbicide, atrazine (ATZ), in mixed cultures of Sertoli-germ cells. Results showed that treatment with QT increased cell viability and decreased catalase activity, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. QT treatment also increased the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase, and superoxide dismutase-1 and could not reversed to the control levels ATZ-induced steady-state mRNA levels of these antioxidant genes as well as the level of glutathione and activities of GSH-Px and GR. QT has protective effect against ATZ-induced oxidative stress through a reduction in ROS levels and lipid peroxidation.