[Experimental evaluation of combined effects caused by stress and metals (cadmium and aluminium) in reproductivity of male rats].

To investigate combined effects of stress and metal (aluminium, cadmium) on reproductivity, male rats twice per week received intraperitoneal injections of aluminium (3.8 mg Al3+ per kg of body weight) or cadmium (0.3 mg Cd2+ per kg of body weight) and were subjected to stress via short-term immobilization during spermatogenic cycle (54 +/- 3 days). Findings are cumulation of both cadmium and aluminium in genitals and brain, increasing under stress. When acting separately to the laboratory animals, the three factors (aluminium/cadmium/stress) increase serum corticosterone level, change testosterone level, increase number of aberrant mitoses of spermatogenic epithelium cells, increased sperm count with fragmented DNA, lower percentage of the impregnated females. If the exposure combined with stress, spermatogenesis disorders are more marked, and preimplantation death rate of intact females' offspirngs becomes statistically significant.