In this study, the effects of beta-carotene (BC) on testicular germ cell apoptosis arising from titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NTiO2 ) have been evaluated. In NTiO2 -treated mice, expression of apoptotic related genes including Bid, FasL, caspase-3 and p38MAPK was significantly increased. Measurement apoptosis using TUNEL method showed significant increase in apoptotic index of germ cells in NTiO2 -treated mice (P < 0.05). TUNEL assessments showed that the increase of apoptotic index of testicular germ cells in NTiO2 -treated mice was reversed by BC. Beta-carotene pre-treatment could also effectively attenuate the expression of apoptotic related genes. The application of BC may serve as a beneficial medication to protect germ cells against apoptosis induced by nanoparticles and be helpful for male fertility.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.