Effect of nickel on testicular nucleic acid concentrations of rats on protein restriction

The nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and total protein concentration in testes w ere estimated in male Wistar strain rats treated intraperitorally with nick el sulfate (2.0 mg/100 g body weight) on alternate days for 10 dosages. In both normal (18% casein) and protein-restricted (5% casein) experimental an imals, the nucleic acids and total protein concentration were found to decr ease significantly compared to the corresponding controls. Sperm count and sperm motility were also reduced in both experimental groups of animals. Th e results indicate that nickel influences the expression of genetic informa tion by reducing testicular nucleic acids and protein concentration in both dietary experimental groups.