Impact of Coenzyme Q10 Administration on Lead Acetate-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats

Abstract

Exposure to lead (Pb) causes multiorgan dysfunction including reproductive impairments. Here, we examined the protective effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) administration on testicular injury induced by lead acetate (PbAc) exposure in rats. This study employed four experimental groups (n=7) that underwent seven days of treatment as follows: control group intraperitoneally (i.p.) treated with 0.1 ml of 0.9% NaCl containing 1% Tween 80 (v:v), CoQ10 group that was i.p. injected with 10 mg/kg CoQ10, PbAc group that was i.p. treated with PbAc (20 mg/kg), and PbAc+CoQ10 group that was i.p. injected with CoQ10 2 h after PbAc. PbAc injection resulted in increasing residual Pb levels in the testis and reducing testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels. Additionally, PbAc exposure resulted in significant oxidative damage to the tissues on the testes. PbAc raised the levels of prooxidants (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide) and reduced the amount of endogenous antioxidative proteins (glutathione and its derivative enzymes, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) available in the cell. Moreover, PbAc induced the inflammatory response as evidenced by the upregulation of inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta). Further, PbAc treatment induced apoptosis in the testicular cells, as indicated by an increase in Bax and caspase 3 expression, and reduced Bcl2 expression. CoQ10 supplementation improved testicular function by inhibiting Pb accumulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death, and histopathological changes following PbAc exposure. Our findings suggest that CoQ10 can act as a natural therapeutic agent to protect against the reproductive impairments associated with PbAc exposure.

Chrysin protects against testicular toxicity caused by lead acetate in rats with its antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties

“…Spermatozoa have a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, it is thought to be extremely sensitive to reactive oxygen species (AL‐Megrin et al., 2020; El‐Khadragy et al, 2020). Oxidative stress plays an important role in the formation of Pb toxicity by damaging sperm membranes, proteins, and DNA (Ezejiofor & Orisakwe, 2019).…”

Moringa oleifera Lam. extract rescues lead‐induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the rat cerebral cortex

“…Numerous experiments have confirmed that Pb triggers the formation of free radicals in several organs, and thus causes oxidative injury. Pb alters intercellular calcium levels, and can have similar effects as divalent cations on cellular enzymes, interrupting cell functions, inhibiting enzymatic activities, damaging DNA, and interfering with cellular signaling pathways (Manal El‐khadragy et al., 2020; Flora et al., 2012). Additionally, Al‐Quraishy et al.…”

A Review of foods and food supplements increasing testosterone levels

“…LH is a gonadotropin that is released by the pituitary glands [147]. Garlic, l-carnitine, selenium, vitamin C, CoQ10, qleuropein, and resveratrol regulate the LH secretion [16,42,49,53,75,76,126,135]. Secreted LH acts on testis receptors and is involved in the synthesis of testosterone from cholesterol [147].…”

“…Sharideh et al reported that CoQ10 increased testosterone and improved testicular function in aged roosters [74]. CoQ10 also increased testosterone levels in other animals by increasing LH [75,76]. Besides, CoQ10 has antioxidant activity, hence suppresses the decrease in testosterone associated with testicular toxicity in rats [77][78][79].…”