Exposure to (–)-Xanthatin during the Haploid Formation of Mouse Spermatocyte GC-2spd(ts) Cells, an in vitro Male Germ Cell Model

Abstract

We and others have previously reported the possible usefulness of (–)-xanthatin, one of the naturally occurring xanthanolides present in the Cocklebur plant, as an anticancer cytotoxic agent in both in vivo and in vitro settings. Anticancer agents generally act as a double-edged sword during cancer chemoprevention, as these drugs can cause infertility in males and females. Although (–)-xanthatin is known to be an anti-proliferator against cancer cells, the adverse effect on spermatogenesis has not yet been investigated, even in vitro. In this study, we utilized chemically synthesized pure (–)-xanthatin to analyze whether this molecule affects the appearance of haploid cells in the population of a GC-2spd(ts) cell line, an in vitro model of male germ cells. We did not observe any remarkable effects on the haploid formation of GC-2spd(ts) at a (–)-xanthatin concentration below 0.5 μM.