1. L-carnitine protects against testicular dysfunction caused by gamma irradiation in mice.
- Author
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Ahmed MM, Ibrahim ZS, Alkafafy M, and El-Shazly SA
- Subjects
- Animals, Carnitine therapeutic use, Cell Cycle drug effects, Cell Cycle radiation effects, Gamma Rays, Gene Expression, Male, Mice, Radiation Injuries, Experimental blood, Radiation Injuries, Experimental pathology, Radiation-Protective Agents therapeutic use, Spermatozoa drug effects, Spermatozoa pathology, Spermatozoa radiation effects, Testis drug effects, Testis radiation effects, Testosterone blood, Carnitine pharmacology, Radiation Injuries, Experimental prevention & control, Radiation-Protective Agents pharmacology, Testis pathology
- Abstract
This study was conducted on mice to evaluate the radioprotective role of L-carnitine against γ-ray irradiation-induced testicular damage. Adult male mice were exposed to whole body irradiation at a total dose of 1 Gy. Radiation exposure was continued 24 h a day (0.1 Gy/day) throughout the 10 days exposure period either in the absence and/or presence of L-carnitine at an i.p. dose of 10 mg/kg body weight/day. Results revealed that γ-rays irradiation suppressed the expression of ABP and CYP450SCC mRNA, whereas treatment with L-carnitine prior and throughout γ-rays irradiation exposure inhibited this suppression. Treatment with γ-ray irradiation or L-carnitine down-regulated expression of aromatase mRNA. With combined treatment, L-carnitine significantly normalized aromatase expression. γ-Ray irradiation up-regulated expression of FasL and Cyclin D2 mRNA, while L-carnitine inhibited these up-regulations. Results also showed that γ-ray-irradiation up-regulated TNF-α, IL1-β and IFN-γ mRNA expressions compared to either controls or the L-carnitine treated group. Moreover, γ-irradiation greatly reduced serum testosterone levels, while L-carnitine, either alone or in combination with irradiation, significantly increased serum testosterone levels compared to controls. In addition, γ-irradiation induced high levels of sperm abnormalities (43%) which were decreased to 12% in the presence of L-carnitine. In parallel with these findings, histological examination showed that γ-irradiation induced severe tubular degenerative changes, which were reduced by L-carnitine pre-treatment. These results clarified the immunostimulatory effects of L-carnitine and its radioprotective role against testicular injury., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
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