Lipoic acid and Calligonum comosumon attenuate aroclor 1260-induced testicular toxicity in adult rats

Maternal supplementation of alpha-lipoic acid ameliorates prenatal cytarabine-induced mutilation in reproductive development and function in F1 male adult rats

AIMS

Cytarabine (CYT), a prevalent anticancer drug for blood cancers, detrimentally affects male reproductive development and function. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a universal antioxidant, offers defense against chemical-induced reproductive dysfunction. Our study sought to explore ALA's protective role against prenatal CYT-induced reproductive impairment in F1 male adult rats.

MAIN METHODS

Pregnant rats were divided into 5 groups and administered normal saline, ALA 200 mg/kg, CYT 12.5 mg/kg, CYT 25 mg/kg, and CYT 25 mg/kg + ALA 200 mg/ kg from gestational day 8 to 21. On postnatal day 73, F1 male rats were sacrificed, and general, oxidative, steroidogenic, spermatogenic, histological, and morphometrical parameters were evaluated.

KEY FINDINGS

Prenatal CYT caused dose-dependent reductions in body weight, testis, and accessory gland weights; elevated oxidative stress; delayed puberty onset; sperm anomalies (decreased count, motility, viability, seminal fructose; increased morphological anomalies); impeded steroidogenesis (lower testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase(HSD), 17β-HSD, and elevated cholesterol); and testicular histopathological and morphometric disturbances. Maternal supplementation of ALA was found to alleviate all the CYT-induced reproductive disruptions.

SIGNIFICANCE

The present work accentuates the beneficial actions of ALA against CYT-induced impairment in reproductive development and functions by combating disruptions in oxidative balance, steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, and testicular histological aberrations. However, future experimental and clinical studies are warranted to explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the ALA's protection against prenatal CYT-induced testicular injury.

Role of Lipoic Acid in Testosterone Production in Males

Testosterone extends its impact beyond sexual function, playing a crucial role in shaping overall male health, including aspects such as muscle mass, bone density, mood regulation, and energy levels. Lipoic acid, a cofactor for specific enzymes, particularly dehydrogenases involved in cellular energy production, has been studied for its impact on testosterone. This comprehensive review systematically scoured PubMed and Scopus databases using the keywords "lipoic acid" and "testosterone." It encompassed all relevant English papers published from November 1971 to the present, including full texts and abstracts, along with research elucidating the biochemical mechanisms linking lipoic acid to testosterone. In summary, lipoic acid consistently restores testosterone levels, offering promise as an intervention in testicular health, especially in cases of testicular toxicity caused by various harmful agents. Its mechanisms encompass nitric oxide enhancement, fortification of testicular antioxidants, elevation of luteinizing hormone, enhancement of steroidogenesis, and the maintenance of energy production. These mechanisms underscore the therapeutic potential of lipoic acid for testicular health.

Lycopene modulates hepatic toxicity and testicular injury induced by etoposide in male rats

OBJECTIVE

Lycopene (C40H56), a carotenoid found in red colour fruits, is known as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Etoposide inhibits topoisomerase II activity and restricts the development of cancer cells, though it establishes oxidative stress. To study the effect of lycopene (Ly) against hepatotoxicity and testis injury induced by etoposide in male rats.

ANIMALS

Forty male Wister albino rats.

SETTINGS

The experiment lasted for seven consecutive weeks including one week as acclimatization time.

DESIGN

The experiment was in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement.

INTERVENTION(S)

The animals were grouped as follow: No etoposide injection and no lycopene (control), lycopene supplementation (LY), etoposide injection (ET), and rats with etoposide injection and lycopene supplement (ET+LY).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Blood samples were harvested and analyzed for serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), Total Protein (TP), glucose (GLU) and testosterone. The left testis was manipulated for histological examination.

RESULT(S)

The result of experiment showed that rats with etoposide injection had higher ALT, AST, and ALP than the control rats. In contrast co-treated rats (ET+LY) significantly modulated the levels of the hepatic parameters. Administration of lycopene increased testosterone concentration and germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules in testes rats.

CONCLUSION(S)

Lycopene might be a promising agent with hepatoprotective effect in restoring testis injury induced by etoposide in rats.

Systematic review of associations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure with declining semen quality in support of the derivation of reference doses for mixture risk assessments

BACKGROUND

Mixture risk assessments require reference doses for common health endpoints of all the chemicals to be considered together. In support of a mixture risk assessment for male reproductive health, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on associations between exposures to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and declines in semen quality. PCBs can act as Aryl-hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)-agonists and Androgen Receptor (AR)-antagonists, both mechanisms which can affect sperm parameters. PCBs and other AR-antagonists can produce additive combination effects. Based on these observations our objective was to systematically gather data from animal and human studies to derive a reference dose for declines in semen quality for individual PCB.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed and evaluated the evidence in human epidemiological and experimental animal studies on associations between PCBs and deteriorations in semen quality. Human data and findings from animal studies with PCB mixtures were considered as supporting evidence. Information for individual congeners from animal studies was required for inclusion in mixture risk assessment. Using a robust confidence rating approach, we identified suitable studies to derive reference doses for individual PCB congeners.

RESULTS

Evaluation of human epidemiological studies revealed several reports of adverse effects on sperm parameters linked to PCB exposures, although some studies reported improved semen quality. Our review of experimental animal studies found that treatments with PCBs affected semen quality, in most cases adversely. We found robust evidence that PCB-118 and -169 were linked to declines in semen quality. Evidence for adverse effects of PCB-126, -132, -149, and -153 was moderate, whereas for PCB-77 it was slight and for PCB-180 indeterminate. Using widely accepted risk assessment procedures, we estimated reference dose values of 0.0029 µg/kg/day for PCB-118 and 0.00533 µg/kg/day for PCB-169. In addition, we derived values for PCB-126: 0.000073 µg/kg/day, PCB-132: 0.0228 µg/kg/day, PCB-149: 0.656 µg/kg/day, and PCB-153: 0.0058 µg/kg/day.

CONCLUSIONS

We found robust evidence for links between PCB exposure and deteriorations in semen quality, and derived reference doses for a set of congeners. We intend to use these values in combination with congener-specific exposure data in a mixture risk assessment for declines in semen quality, involving several other antiandrogenic chemicals.

Prophylactic and Ameliorative Effects of PPAR-γ Agonist Pioglitazone in Improving Oxidative Stress, Germ Cell Apoptosis and Inflammation in Gentamycin-Induced Testicular Damage in Adult Male Albino Rats

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is ubiquitously expressed in testicular tissue and plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes. Pioglitazone (PIO) is one of the PPAR-γ agonists, having anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Patients on gentamycin treatment may undergo serious side effects such as testicular damage. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to investigate the possible protective anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of PIO on gentamycin-induced testicular damage. Fifty adult male Wistar albino rats included in the study as the control group (CTL) received normal saline; a gentamycin-induced testicular damage group (GM) received gentamycin (100 mg/kg); PIO5, PIO10, PIO20 groups received PIO at a dose of 5, 10, and 20 mg/ kg, respectively, for 21 days, and gentamycin was started at day 15 of the experiment for 6 days. The parameters of spermatozoa and histopathological alterations in the testes were significantly improved in the PIO20 group. Moreover, MDA levels, inflammatory mediators, and apoptotic Bax expression were decreased. The activity of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, total antioxidant capacity, and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 genes expression were increased. It was concluded that PIO20 could protect against gentamycin-induced testicular damage in Wistar rats through its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects.

Dietary alpha-lipoic acid supplementation improves spermatogenesis and semen quality via antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects in aged breeder roosters

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on the reproductive performance of aged breeder roosters. Sixteen 50-wk-old ROSS 308 breeder roosters were randomly allocated to two groups: roosters received a basal diet (CON), or a basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg of ALA (ALA). The results indicated that dietary ALA supplementation significantly increased sperm concentration, motility, viability, and membrane functional integrity. ALA also dramatically increased seminiferous tubule epithelial height (SEH) and testis scores. The ALA group had a higher serum concentration of testosterone than the CON group. ALA supplementation remarkably increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) in the testes; following a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, we noted significant upregulation of Nrf2 mRNA and protein expression of and mRNA expression of its Downstream Genes (GPx1, NQO1, and GCLC), as well as significant downregulation of Keap1 mRNA expression in testicular tissue of aged roosters with ALA supplementation. The protein expression of Caspase 3 was downregulated and the protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was upregulated by ALA supplementation. The mRNA expression of spermatogenesis-related genes (ER1, AKT1, and Cav1) were markedly augmented in the ALA group compared with the CON group. In conclusion, dietary ALA supplementation enhanced the testicular antioxidant capacity through the Nrf2-signaling pathway, exerted anti-apoptotic effects, and improved the reproductive performance of aged roosters.

Testicular toxicity of gentamicin in adult rats: Ameliorative effect of lycopene

The current study was aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect of lycopene against gentamicin-induced testicular toxicity in adult rat testes. Pretreatment with lycopene (4 mg/kg/day) significantly prevented the decrease in the absolute testes weight and relative testes weight and the reduction in sperm count, motility, viability, and daily sperm production in gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day)-treated rats. Gentamicin significantly decreased the level of serum testosterone and testicular lactate dehydrogenase-X and G6PDH activities but a marked increase was observed upon pretreatment with lycopene. Testicular caspase-3 and -9 activities were significantly increased but lycopene showed significant protection from gentamicin-induced apoptosis. Oxidative stress was induced by gentamicin treatment as evidenced by increased hydrogen peroxide level and lipid peroxidation and decreased the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities and glutathione content. These alterations were effectively prevented by lycopene pretreatment. Histopathological examination showed loss of spermatogenesis and morphological abnormalities of the testis after treatment with gentamycin. These abnormalities were effectively normalized by pretreatment with lycopene. In conclusion, gentamicin decreases rat testes weight and inhibits spermatogenesis. It induces oxidative stress and apoptosis by possible mitochondrial dysfunction. These data provide insight into the mode of action of gentamicin-induced testicular toxicity and the beneficial role provided by lycopene to restore the suppressed spermatogenesis.

The toxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1242) on Tm3 Leydig cells

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous and persistent environmental contaminants that disrupt endocrine function in biological systems, especially in the male reproductive system. Previous studies on the reproductive toxicity of PCBs have focused on the impairment of spermatogenesis, disruption of steroidogenesis, decreased sperm number, and infertility. Aroclor 1242 is a commercial mixture with an average of 42% chlorine by weight. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the hazardous effects of Aroclor 1242 on Leydig cells through an evaluation of cell viability, lipid peroxidation, hydroxyl radicals, H2O2 production, antioxidant enzymes, and steroidogenic enzymes. Leydig cells were exposed to Aroclor 1242 for 24 h under basal and luteinizing hormone-stimulated conditions at different concentrations (ranging from 10−16 M to 10−6 M). After incubation, Leydig cells were measured for cell viability, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radical and H2O2), antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase), and steroidogenic enzymes (3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase [HSD] and 17β-HSD). The results showed that cell viability was reduced only at Aroclor 1242 concentrations of 10−6 M and 10−8 M, whereas lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species increased relative to the concentration. Furthermore, antioxidant systems and steroidogenesis were interrupted to varying degrees, relative to the concentration. These findings suggest that exposure to Aroclor 1242 at high concentrations may result in detrimental effects to Leydig cell homeostasis. In addition, Aroclor 1242 may impair steroidogenesis, especially testosterone biosynthesis, by inhibiting two important steroidogenic enzymes.