The effect of high doses of 6-chloro-6-deoxyglucose on the rat

Male rats given 6-chloro-6-deoxyglucose (240 mg/kg/day for 28 days) developed spermatocoeles in their ductuli efferentes or caput epididymides. They had a lower serum triglyceride content than controls ($\text{0.87 ± 0.19}\text{vs}\text{1.84 ± 0.19}\text{mM}\text{,}\text{Mean}\text{±}\text{SEM}\text{;}\text{n}\text{= 6}$) and gained less weight ($\text{2.55 ± 0.37}\text{vs}\text{4.1 ± 0.96}\text{g/day}\text{,}\text{Mean}\text{±}\text{SEM}\text{;}\text{n}\text{= 6}$). There was no effect on female rats which received the same treatment. Spermatocoeles could also be produced by a single dose of 6-chloro-6-deoxyglucose, the threshold dose was between 180 and 240 mg/kg. Glucose oxidation by liver, brain, kidney and diaphragm from rats given 6-chloro-6-deoxyglucose (240 mg/kg/day for 14 days) was the same as in controls but was decreased in seminiferous tubules ($\text{0.32 ± 0.06}\text{vs}\text{0.74 ± 0.02 μ}\text{mol}$ U-¹⁴C]glucose oxidised to ¹⁴CO₂/g fresh wt/h, Mean ± SEM; n = 3). The activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase E.C. 1.2.1.12] in liver, brain, testis or muscle from rats given 6-chloro-6-deoxyg1ucose (24 mg/kg/day for 14 days) showed little change although its activity in spermatozoa was dramatically decreased.