Volume 20, Issue 11 (November 2022)                   IJRM 2022, 20(11): 941-954 | Back to browse issues page

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Shafie A, Kianian F, Ashabi G, Kadkhodaee M, Ranjbaran M, Hajiaqaei M, et al . Beneficial effects of combination therapy with testosterone and hydrogen sulfide by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis: Rat experimental varicocele model. IJRM 2022; 20 (11) :941-954
URL: http://ijrm.ir/article-1-2423-en.html
Beneficial effects of combination therapy with testosterone and hydrogen sulfide by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis: Rat experimental varicocele model
Anahid Shafie1 , Farzaneh Kianian1 , Ghorbangol Ashabi1 , Mehri Kadkhodaee1 , Mina Ranjbaran1 , Mahdi Hajiaqaei1 , Keivan Lorian2 , Arash Abdi1 , Behjat Seifi * 3
1- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
2- 2. Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
3- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran , b-seifi@tums.ac.ir
Abstract:   (999 Views)
Background: Despite the effectiveness of testosterone therapy in conditions associated with testosterone deficiency, including varicocele, several dose-dependent side effects limit the clinical use of testosterone therapy. Hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas in high concentrations but a beneficial molecule in low concentrations, acts as both a major effector and an important inducer of testosterone.
Objective: This study investigated whether a subeffective dose of testosterone combined with a subeffective dose of hydrogen sulfide donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) can be effective in an experimental varicocele model through a possible additive effect.
Materials and Methods: 30 Wistar rats weighing 200-250 gr were divided into 5 groups as (n = 6/each): sham, varicocele, testosterone (200 µg/kg, 5 times per wk for 4 consecutive wk), NaHS (15 μmol/L, daily for 4 consecutive wk) and testosterone + NaHS (200 µg/kg, 5 times per wk + 15 μmol/L, daily, both for 4 consecutive wk). All animals, except in the sham group, underwent varicocele induction.
Results: The coadministration of testosterone and NaHS significantly increased serum testosterone (10.23 ± 0.95, p = 0.01), testicular H2S levels (608.94 ± 21.09, p < 0.001), and testicular superoxide dismutase activity (66.14 ± 1.56, p < 0.001), decreased malondialdehyde levels (0.77 ± 0.52, p < 0.001), and B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein to B-cell lymphoma 2 (0.16 ± 0.01, p < 0.001) protein expression ratio in the testicular tissues and improved sperm parameters and testicular histopathology compared to the varicocele group.
Conclusion: The combination therapy of subeffective doses of testosterone and NaHS can attenuate the varicocele-induced damages by reducing testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis and thus can be considered an effective approach with fewer side effects.
Keywords: Apoptosis genes, Hydrogen sulfide, Oxidative stress, Sperm count, Testosterone, Varicocele.
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Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: Reproductive Physiology
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