All-trans retinoic acid alleviates arsenic-induced endocrine disruption in swiss albino mice

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as arsenic, leads to severe health problems and surreptitiously accentuates stressful conditions in humans. Additionally, arsenic-induced endocrine stress leads to severe disturbances in glucose metabolism, mostly by disrupting the structure-function adroitness of the adrenal, thyroid and pancreas. Mechanistically, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by arsenic accentuate perturbation of cellular redox balance and eventually cell death. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, is known for its anti-oxidant properties. Therefore, ATRA was used as a protection against arsenic-induced deteriorations of physiological conditions in mice. The present study reveals arsenic induced ROS generation in the adrenal and thyroid glands, accompanied by a decline in the activities of ROS scavenging enzymes, leading to disruption of the architecture of the tissues and induction of apoptosis therein, culminating in an imbalance in the hormonal secretions from the respective tissues. Structural damage to the pancreas accompanied with severe imbalances in glucose metabolism and associated biochemical parameters like glucose, pancreatic amylase and liver glycogen were also noted. Treatment with ATRA could efciently reverse the deleterious effects induced by arsenic. Hence, ATRA can be used as an efcient nutraceutical which can lead to attenuation of endocrine stress induced by arsenic.