Testicular toxicity evaluation of arsenic-containing binary compound semiconductors, gallium arsenide and indium arsenide, in hamsters
Omura, M.; Hirata, M.; Tanaka, A.; Zhao, M.; Makita, Y.; Inoue, N.; Gotoh, K.; Ishinishi, N.
Toxicology Letters 89(2): 123-129
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0378-4274
PMID: 8960154
DOI: 10.1016/s0378-4274(96)03796-4
Accession: 009525833
The testicular toxicities of gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium arsenide (InAs) and arsenic trioxide (As-2O-3) were examined by repetitive intratracheal instillation using hamsters. GaAs (7.7 mg/kg) and As-2O-3 (1.3 mg/kg) were instilled twice a week a total of 16 times and InAs (7.7 mg/kg) was instilled a total of 14 times. GaAs caused testicular spermatid retention and epididymal sperm reduction, though the degrees were less severe than those in rats shown in our previous experiment. InAs and As-2O-3 did not show any testicular toxicities. Serum arsenic concentration in GaAs-treated hamsters was less than half of that in As-2O-3-treated hamsters in which no testicular toxicities were found. Serum molar concentration of gallium was 32-times higher than that of arsenic in GaAs-treated hamsters. Therefore gallium may play a main role in the testicular toxicity of GaAs in hamsters.