Effect of L-carnitine and meloxicam treatment on testicular leydig cell numbers of varicocelized rats

Insight into inflammation involvement in varicocele: A narrative review

BACKGROUND

Varicocele is one of the main causes of male infertility. Although the pathophysiology mechanism of varicocele is very well described and understood, there are some unanswered questions that remains unknown. Some studies have previously described the state of testicular inflammation and sperm in animal models, especially the mouse model, and the seminal plasma of men with varicocele, with or without changes in semen parameters.

METHODS OF STUDY

This review intended to verify the role of inflammatory mechanism in varicocele, using clinical studies as well as animal model studies on the effect of inflammation caused by varicocele on the function of testicular somatic and germ cells.

RESULTS

In-vivo studies confirmed whether anti-inflammatory molecules could treat the semen of men with varicocele and rats with varicocele. The use of different anti-inflammatory agents in mouse model studies provided a new perspective for future clinical studies to investigate the effect of concurrent treatment with surgery to improve surgical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Similar to animal model studies, previously conducted clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory therapy in varicocele patients. However, clinical trials using anti-inflammatory are needed to be conducted agents to evaluate different aspects of this therapeutical approach in varicocele patients.

Positive Effects of the Nutraceutical Association of Lycopene and Selenium in Experimental Varicocele

Many natural substances commonly found in healthy diets have been studied for their potential to reduce male infertility associated with varicocele. A positive role of selenium (Se) or lycopene alone was demonstrated in experimental varicocele, while no data are available on their association. One group of male Sprague-Dawley rats was sham operated and daily treated with Se (3 mg/kg, i.p.), lycopene (1 mg/kg, i.p.), or their association. A second group underwent surgery to induce varicocele. Sham and half of the varicocele animals were sacrificed after twenty-eight days, while the residual animals were treated for one more month and then sacrificed. In varicocele animals, testosterone levels and testes weight were reduced, Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression was absent in the tubules and increased in Leydig cells, caspare-3 was increased, seminiferous epithelium showed evident structural changes, and many apoptotic germ cells were demonstrated with TUNEL assay. The treatment with lycopene or Se alone significantly increased testis weight and testosterone levels, reduced apoptosis and caspase-3 expression, improved the tubular organization, decreased HIF-1α positivity of Leydig cells, and restored its tubular positivity. Lycopene or Se association showed a better influence on all biochemical and morphological parameters. Therefore, the nutraceutical association of lycopene plus Se might be considered a possible therapeutic tool, together with surgery, in the treatment of male infertility. However, long-term experimental and clinical studies are necessary to evaluate sperm quantity and quality.

The Role of Dietary Nutrients in Male Infertility: A Review

Male infertility is the main health issue with economic, psychological, and medical attributions. Moreover, it is characterized by an inability to produce a sufficient amount of sperm for the fertilization of an oocyte. Dietary nutrients (DN) have a great effect on male reproductive potential. Observations have indicated that adding DN may protect or treat male infertility. The scope of this criticism is to scrutinize the DN, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, in enhancing the semen attributes, sperm bioenergetics and sperm functionality in male infertility. It seems that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids affect sperm quality and maintain the sperm membrane and mitochondria stability. An administration of phytochemicals caused an escalation in sperm mitochondrial function and a decrease in oxidative damage. Furthermore, sundry dietary natural phytochemicals differentially affect (negatively or positively) sperm motility, semen quality, and mitochondrial function, dependent on their levels. Vitamins and trace elements are also nutritional modulators in reducing oxidative stress, thereby enhancing sperm quality, which is accurately connected with sperm mitochondrial function. Also, we described the different types of DN as mitochondrial enhancer for sperm functionality and health. We believe that understanding the DN supports sperm mitochondria and epigenetic modulators that may be responsible for sperm quality and health, and will lead to more embattled and efficient therapeutics for male infertility.

Varicocele, Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: From Mechanisms of Action in Animal Models to Therapeutic Application

Varicocele is one of the main causes of infertility in men, thus representing an important clinical problem worldwide. Inflammation contributes mainly to its pathogenesis, even if the exact pathophysiological mechanisms that correlate varicocele and infertility are still unknown. In addition, oxidative stress, apoptosis, hypoxia, and scrotal hyperthermia seem to play important roles. So far, the treatment of varicocele and the care of the fertility-associated problems still represent an area of interest for researchers, although many advances have occurred over the past few years. Recent experimental animal studies, as well as the current epidemiological evidence in humans, demonstrated that many functional foods of natural origin and nutraceuticals that are particularly abundant in the Mediterranean diet showed anti-inflammatory effects in varicocele. The aim of the present narrative review is to mainly evaluate recent experimental animal studies regarding the molecular mechanisms of varicocele and the state of the art about possible therapeutic approaches. As the current literature demonstrates convincing associations between diet, food components and fertility, the rational intake of nutraceuticals, which are particularly abundant in foods typical of plant-based eating patterns, may be a reliable therapeutic supportive care against varicocele and, consequently, could be very useful in the cure of fertility-associated problems in patients.

Ameliorative effect of L-carnitine on chronic lead-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats

Lead toxicity is one of the causative agents of male infertility that raised concern from environmental contamination worldwide. L‐carnitine, a biologically active amino acid, present in high concentration in the reproductive organs such as the epididymis, is involved in sperm maturation. The possible protective effect of L‐carnitine in experimentally lead‐induced male reproductive toxicity in rats was evaluated in this study. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Group 1: the negative control group was treated with normal saline; Group 2: exposed to 50 mg/kg lead acetate (2% solution in saline); and Group 3: treated with lead acetate 50 mg/kg (2% solution in saline) + L‐carnitine 100 mg/kg. At the end of the experimental period, body and testicular weights were determined, blood samples were withdrawn for hormonal assays of FSH, LH and testosterone. Sperm parameters as sperm count, morphology, viability and motility were measured. Testicular tissue homogenates were prepared for enzymatic assays and for measuring oxidative stress parameters. Lead significantly increased both oxidative stress and the concentration of lactate dehydrogenase‐C in the testicular tissues with a decrease in sperm count, motility and viability. Lead acetate treatment, induced alteration in sperms with normal morphology together with reductions in the serum FSH, LH, testosterone, body and testicular weights. The concentration of 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was significantly reduced. Co‐administration of L‐carnitine significantly reduced testicular oxidative stress, improved sperm parameters, elevated serum FSH, LH and testosterone with an insignificant reduction in the testicular weight. The concentrations of 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase‐C were significantly improved by L‐carnitine. The overall results indicate that L‐carnitine is expected to improve the lead acetate‐induced male reproductive toxicity.

Dietary supplements in the management of varicocele-induced infertility: A review of potential mechanisms

Varicocele is a main cause of lower production of spermatozoon and infertility with multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. In the past decades, the use of dietary supplements has significantly increased due to both the modern lifestyle and the food shortages of the industrialised countries. The purpose of this review paper is to collect scientific evidences from basic and clinical studies which support the use of dietary supplements to define the clinical framework for patients with varicocele. In the present review, we used keywords such as dietary supplements, varicocele, male infertility, oxidative stress, DNA fragmentation, sperm parameters to find the proper articles. The standard search biomedical engines were used for seeking the papers. The use of dietary supplements such as minerals, vitamins and antioxidants has an essential role in the prevention and treatment of varicocele by increasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes (e.g. peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase) and decreasing the levels of inflammatory markers (e.g. tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1) in testis. According to the results, the dietary supplements may alleviate the spermatogenesis in varicocele patients through different mechanisms such as suppression of stress oxidative and inflammation in testicular tissue.

Long-term NaHS administration reduces oxidative stress and apoptosis in a rat model of left-side varicocele

The main aim of this study was to assay the testicular H₂ S levels in the varicocele rat model and then to investigate the protective effects of NaHS on morphometric changes, sperm parameters, oxidative stress and apoptosis markers in rat's testis. D,L-propargylglycine (PAG) was administrated to show the effects of cystathionine γ-lyase enzyme (CSE) inhibition in the varicocele. Rats were assigned to four groups: (a) Sham, (b) varicocele, (c) varicocele + PAG and (d) varicocele + NaHS. Animals in varicocele + NaHS group received 30 µmol/L NaHS in drinking water for 56 days. In the varicocele + PAG group, animals received PAG 19 mg/kg twice a week. Morphometric assessment, oxidative stress markers, testicular H₂ S levels, sperm parameters, TUNEL assay and expression of Bax/Bcl2 were evaluated at the end of experiment. Testicular H₂ S levels were significantly decreased in varicocele group. NaHS significantly improved sperm parameters, morphometric characteristics and oxidative stress compared to varicocele group. Oxidative stress status deteriorated in the PAG group compared to the varicocele group. This study showed that a low testicular H₂ S level might play a critical role in male infertility. Thus, NaHS administration may be a promising treatment strategy for male infertility in varicocele. In addition, CSE may not be the only important enzyme in testicular H₂ S production.

Steroid-depleted polycystic ovarian syndrome serum promotes in vitro oocyte maturation and embryo development

In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes obtained from patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is considered as a novel strategy in order to reduce clinical side effects and cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of PCOS whole and steroid-depleted serums on in vitro oocyte maturation indices. Patients with PCOS were selected according to the Rotterdam criteria. Cumulus-oocyte complexes and blood serums were collected and pooled. Cumulus cells and immature oocytes were treated with 10% whole or steroid-depleted serums. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) expression levels in cumulus cells were evaluated by quantitative PCR. Fatty acid composition of cumulus cells was analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. Polar body observation was considered as the oocyte maturation index. Oleate (1.28-fold, p = .006), SCD1 expression (450-fold, p = .001), and COX2 expression (35-fold, p = .02) in cumulus cell, as well as oocyte maturation (p < .001) and in vitro embryo development (p < .05) were significantly higher in treatment with steroid-depleted serum compared to that of whole serum. Steroid depletion of PCOS serum improved its capacity to increase success rate of oocyte maturation, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection and early embryo development.

Chrysin Administration Protects against Oxidative Damage in Varicocele-Induced Adult Rats

Oxidative stress is known as the leading factor responsible for varicocele-related infertility and for that reason, many antioxidant therapies have been proposed. Considering that, we evaluated the reproductive outcomes and fertility of varicocelized rats and the impact of chrysin within these parameters. The animals were allocated into three groups: sham (control), varicocele treated via gavage with 50 mg/kg/day of chrysin (V1), or vehicle (V2) for 56 days. Chrysin treatment prevented oxidative damage resulting from varicocele by decreasing testicular concentrations of malondialdehyde and sperm DNA fragmentation. It also improved histological aspect of the testis and maintained morphometric parameters similar to the sham group. Furthermore, there were no differences in body and reproductive organ weights, histopathological analysis of epididymis, sperm counts and morphology, testosterone levels, sexual behavior, and fertility parameters among experimental groups. Our results reinforce the idea that injuries provoked by experimental varicocele are related, at least in part, to oxidative stress. Moreover, varicocele showed bilateral deleterious effects without interfering with fertility. Chrysin administration significantly ameliorated sperm parameters, protecting the reproductive system against varicocele damages. For that reason, chrysin might be an alternative adjuvant therapy to improve sperm quality in men presenting this condition.