Testicular Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Objective: This present study was undertaken to determine the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and total antioxidant status (TAS) in testes of adolescent rats with experimental bilateral varicocele and to determine the effects of oxidative stress on testis produced by varicocele. Methods: 6-week-old, male Wistar rats, weighing 146–334 g (228.37 ± 41.34 g), were randomly allocated into two groups. The first group underwent selective and bilateral partial ligation of the spermatic vein (n = 28), and the second group underwent a sham operation and served as the controls (n = 15). Animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after surgery and dilatation of the spermatic veins was observed in the first study group. Bilateral orchiectomy was performed in all rats, and MDA, NO and TAS levels were measured. Results: In the study group, the mean MDA (SEM) level was 15.58 ± 6.07 µmol/g protein, and in the control group, it was 11.59 ± 3.86 µmol/g protein, respectively; this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mean NO level was 82.73 ± 77.84 nmol/g protein in the study group, whereas 28.65 ± 20.18 nmol/g protein in the control group, this difference was also statistically significant (p < 0.005). The mean TAS levels of the study and control groups were 0.91 ± 0.32 and 1.78 ± 0.46 nmol/g tissue, respectively, and this difference was also statistically significant (p < 0.001). But there was no correlation between these three parameters (MDA↔TAS: r = –0.103, p > 0.05; MDA↔NO: r = –0.104, p > 0.05; NO↔TAS: r = –0.123, p > 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that varicocele may change the testicular oxidative status and may play a role in testicular dysfunction that causes infertility.

The Seminal Plasma MDA Level as Bio-Marker for Oxidative Stress and Their Impact on Seminogram in Primary Infertile Males, Erbil-Kurdistan Region, Iraq

“…The association of testicular dysfunction with varicocele, is due to increased ROS level and seminal oxidative stress [50], which involved in the pathogenesis of sperm DNA damage [51]. This hypothesis support our results, we found elevated seminal ROS is associated with varicocele and sperm dysfunction.…”

Antioxidant Systems and Oxidative Stress in the Testes

“…The general concept that testicular pathologies associated with varicocele are linked with the induction of oxidative stress has been confirmed in animal models. Thus, creation of experimental bilateral varicocele in rats is associated with increases in lipid peroxidation and NO generation and a corresponding decrease in testicular antioxidant status 71. Moreover, the pathological consequences of experimental varicocele induction can be significantly reversed by the concomitant administration of an antioxidant, melatonin 45…”

Impact of oxidative stress on semen parameters in normozoospermic infertile men: a case–control study

“…Oxidative stress (OS) has been involved in unexplained male infertility, and contemporary parameters have introduced OS as markers in the identification of potential causes of male infertility. OS is a state of imbalance between production and removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [5]. Antioxidants are compounds capable of scavenging and inhibiting the formation of ROS [6].…”