{
  "abstract": "Background: Sunset Yellow (SY), a widely used azo dye food additive, has raised increasing health concerns. However, its potential testicular toxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms, particularly those involving regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs), remain poorly understood.\n\nObjective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of SY exposure on testicular histopathology and the expression patterns of key miRNAs (miR-34c, miR-122, and let-7a) in a rat model.\n\nDesign: Rats were exposed to low and high doses of SY for 28 days. Testicular tissues were analyzed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and quantitative PCR for miRNA expression. Statistical analysis was performed to assess dose-dependent effects.\n\nResults: SY exposure induced severe histopathological damage in a dose-dependent manner, including disrupted seminiferous tubule architecture, germ cell depletion, vacuolization, and interstitial cell changes. High-dose SY caused significant downregulation of miR-34c (P < 0.0001) and upregulation of miR-122 (16.2-fold, P < 0.0001), while let-7a showed alteration only at high doses. The miRNA expression changes showed a parallel association with the severity of histological impairment at the group level.\n\nConclusion: This study demonstrates that SY induces dose-related testicular toxicity via dysregulation of miR-34c and miR-122. These candidate tissue markers are associated with testicular damage and support risk assessment and regulatory strategies, although further mechanistic and validation studies are needed.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Stem Cells Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran",
    "Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran",
    "Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran",
    "Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Mahintaj Dara"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Fatemeh Nazari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sanaz Alaee"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Zahra khodabandeh"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/95qpsmbcrchdq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.29219/fnr.v70.14436",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13732514/",
  "id": "95qpsmbcrchdq",
  "issns": [
    "1654-661X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v70.14436",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1602|Dye analysis and toxicity"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223650453",
  "pdf_url": "https://foodandnutritionresearch.net/index.php/fnr/article/download/14436/22029",
  "pmcid": "PMC13732514",
  "pmid": "42984958",
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": "SNF Swedish Nutrition Foundation",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/95qpsmbcrchdq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-08T12:22:29Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13732514",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v70.14436"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1602|Dye analysis and toxicity",
      "subfield": "analytical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A dose-related miRNA panel reveals candidate tissue markers and potential mechanisms for sunset yellow-induced testicular toxicity",
  "title_text": "A dose-related miRNA panel reveals candidate tissue markers and potential mechanisms for sunset yellow-induced testicular toxicity",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T12:22:29Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/95qpsmbcrchdq",
  "venue": "Food & Nutrition Research",
  "versions": []
}