Pancreatic kininogenase improves erectile function in streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats with erectile dysfunction

Effects of L-carnitine combined with pancreatic kininogenase on thioredoxin 2, thioredoxin reductase 1, and sperm quality in patients with oligoasthenospermia

Background

To study the effects of L-carnitine (LC) combined with pancreatic kininogenase on thioredoxin 2 (Trx 2), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR 1), and sperm quality in patients with oligoasthenospermia.

Methods

A total of 300 male infertility patients with oligoasthenospermia who were treated in the andrology clinic of our hospital from December 2019 to December 2020 were randomly divided into an LC group and combined treatment group, and 50 males with normal semen were selected as a control group. The computer-assisted semen analysis system (CASA) was used to detect the total number, vitality, and forward motility of the sperm before and after treatment, and sperm morphology was detected by the Diff-Quik method of the sperm staining kit. Sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) method was used to detect sperm DNA fragments, and Western-blot was used to detect the protein expression of Trx 2 and TrxR 1.

Results

There were no significant differences in sperm density, motility rate, forward motile sperm rate, and DNA fragmentation rate in oligoasthenospermia patients before treatment (P>0.05). However, after 1 month of treatment, the sperm density, motility rate, and forward motile sperm rate were all higher than before treatment (P<0.05), while the DNA fragmentation rate was lower than before treatment. At the same time, each index of semen in the combination group was higher than that in the LC group (P<0.05), and the total effective rate in the combination group was significantly higher than in the LC group (P<0.01). The expression of Trx2 protein in oligoasthenospermia patients was significantly increased (P<0.05), while the expression of TrxR1 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.05). After 3 months of treatment, the expression of Trx2 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the expression of TrxR1 protein was significantly increased (P<0.05).

Conclusions

The results suggest Trx 2 and TrxR 1 may be candidate protein markers for oligoasthenospermia. LC combined with pancreatic kininogenase in the treatment of male oligoasthenospermia can effectively promote sperm maturation, enhance sperm motility, and improve semen quality, which has high application value.

Sildenafil alters biogenic amines and increases oxidative damage in brain regions of insulin-hypoglycemic rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of sildenafil on dopamine, 5-hydroxyindol acetic acid (5-HIAA) and selected biomarkers of oxidative stress in the brain of hypoglycemic rats. The animals were treated intraperitoneally as follows: group 1 (control), saline solution; group 2, insulin (10 U per rat or 50 U kg-1); group 3, insulin + single dose of sildenafil (50 U kg-1 + 50 mg kg-1); group 4, insulin + three doses of sildenafil every 24 hours (50 U kg-1 + 50 mg kg-1). In groups 2, 3 and 4, insulin was administered every 24 hours for 10 days. Blood glucose was measured after the last treatment. On the last day of the treatment, the animals´ brains were extracted to measure the levels of oxidative stress markers [H2O2, Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase, glutathione and lipid peroxidation (TBARS)], dopamine and 5-HIAA in the cortex, striatum and cerebellum/medulla oblongata by validated methods. The results suggest that administration of insulin in combination with sildenafil induces hypoglycemia and hypotension, enhances oxidative damage and provokes changes in the brain metabolism of biogenic amines. Administration of insulin and sildenafil promotes biometabolic responses in glucose control, namely, it induces hypoglycemia and hypotension. It also enhances oxidative damage and provokes changes in the brain metabolism of biogenic amines.

Gross saponin of Tribulus terrestris improves erectile dysfunction in type 2 diabetic rats by repairing the endothelial function of the penile corpus cavernosum

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of gross saponins of Tribulus terrestris (GSTT) on erectile function in rats resulting from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DMED).

METHODS

The T2DMED model was constructed by high-fat and high-sugar feeding and streptozotocin injection. After 4 weeks of GSTT intervention. Intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured in each group. The level of nitric oxide (NO) in the cavernous tissue was detected using the nitrate reductase method. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected using DHE fluorescent probe detection. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cGMP) level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was detected using immunohistochemistry. Masson staining was used to detect the cavernosal smooth muscle/collagen ratio. Apoptosis in endothelial cells was measured using TUNEL. Western blotting method to detect the protein expression level of eNOS, TIMP-1, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved caspase 9.

RESULTS

After treatment, the ICP and ICP/MAP values of the GSTT were significantly higher than those of the T2DMED group (P<0.05). Unlike the T2DMED group, the GSTT group showed significantly increased NO levels (P<0.05) and decreased ROS levels (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the GSTT group and the sildenafil group in increasing cGMP levels (P>0.05), and the mixed group had higher levels than these two groups (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting showed that the expression of eNOS in the GSTT was significantly higher than that in the T2DMED groups (P<0.05). Masson staining showed that the smooth muscle/collagen ratio of the GSTT group was significantly higher than that of the T2DMED groups (P<0.05), the expression of TIMP-1 was lower than that of T2DMED group (P<0.05). TUNEL assay showed that the apoptotic index and cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 9 expression level of GSTT group were lower than that of the T2DMED group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

GSTT can protect T2DMED rats' erectile function by improving penile endothelial function and inhibiting cavernosum fibrosis, inhibiting apoptosis, and is synergistic with sildenafil.