Secondary biliary cholestasis promotes testicular macrophage infiltration and autophagy in rats

The preventive effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum on male reproductive toxicity induced by cholestasis in rats

This study investigated the preventive effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on cholestasis-induced male reproductive toxicity in rats. Rats were divided into control normal, sham control, bile duct ligation (BDL) control, and BDL with heat-killed L. plantarum supplementation groups. The effects on sexual hormones, testicular and epididymal histology, sperm parameters, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory gene expression were evaluated. Compared to the BDL control group, the BDL + heat-killed L. plantarum group showed higher levels of normal sperm, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase activity, indicating improved reproductive function. Conversely, markers of oxidative stress, such as total oxidative status, oxidative stress index, and carbonyl protein, were lower in the BDL + heat-killed L. plantarum group. The expression levels of inflammatory genes tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were reduced, while interleukin-10 gene expression was increased in the BDL + heat-killed L. plantarum group. Histological evaluation confirmed the positive effects of heat-killed L. plantarum intervention on testicular parameters. In conclusion, heat-killed L. plantarum supplementation protects against cholestasis-induced male reproductive dysfunction in rats, as evidenced by improvements in hormonal balance, sperm quality, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Investigation of cholestasis-related changes in characteristics of spermatogonial stem cells in testis tissue of male Wistar rats

Paternal metabolic status is an important factor in the health status of offspring. Cholestasis, as a metabolic disorder, significantly disrupts spermatogenesis. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are considered the dividing germ cells, which maintain spermatogenesis throughout the lifespan. Here, we investigated the in vivo and in vitro effect(s) of cholestasis on SSCs. Cholestasis was induced in rats by bile duct ligation. Four weeks after the cholestasis induction, testicular tissues were analysed using histopathological examinations. The expression of SSC markers, including Plzf and Thy-1, was determined using the immunofluorescent technique. Also, SSCs were isolated from animals, and their proliferation was examined in vitro. The histological examinations revealed that cholestasis caused irregularities in the structure of seminal tubes. Immunostaining showed that the total number of Thy-1- and Plzf-expressing cells was declined in the cholestasis group compared with the control group. In vitro culture of SSCs indicated that the number of SSC colonies and those expressing Plzf were significantly reduced in the culture medium of the cholestasis group. Our results indicated that cholestasis affects the functionality of SSCs and reduces the number and proliferation of them. This finding may be of interest to the effect of metabolic diseases such as cholestasis on spermatogenesis.

The caspase-1 inhibitor AC-YVAD-CMK attenuates acute gastric injury in mice: involvement of silencing NLRP3 inflammasome activities

This study evaluated the protective effects of inhibiting caspase-1 activity or gastric acid secretion on acute gastric injury in mice. AC-YVAD-CMK, omeprazole, or vehicle were administered to mice before cold-restraint stress- or ethanol-induced gastric injury. Survival rates and histological evidence of gastric injury of mice pretreated with AC-YVAD-CMK or omeprazole, and exposed to cold-restraint stress, improved significantly relative to the vehicle group. The increased levels of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-18 following cold-stress injury were decreased by AC-YVAD-CMK, but not omeprazole, pretreatment. The increased expression of CD68 in gastric tissues was inhibited significantly by AC-YVAD-CMK pretreatment. Inhibiting caspase-1 activity in the NLRP3 inflammasome decreased gastric cell apoptosis, and the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. AC-YVAD-CMK pretreatment significantly inhibited cold-restraint stress-induced increases in the expression of phosphorylated IκB-alpha and P38. General anatomy and histological results showed the protective effect of AC-YVAD-CMK on ethanol-induced acute gastric injury. Overall, our results showed that the caspase-1 inhibitor AC-YVAD-CMK protected against acute gastric injury in mice by affecting the NLRP3 inflammasome and attenuating inflammatory processes and apoptosis. This was similar to the mechanism associated with NF-κB and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways.