Beneficial impact of Nesfatin-1 on reproductive dysfunction induced by nicotine in male rats: Possible modulation of autophagy and pyroptosis signaling pathways / N. M. Madi [et al.]
Bibliogr.: p. 198-201. - Abstr. eng. - DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/2060.2021.00176
In: Physiology International. - ISSN 2498-602X, eISSN 2677-0164. - 2021. 108. évf. 2. sz., p. 185-201. : ill.
This study was conducted to explore the beneficial impact of nesfatin-1 on reproductive dysfunction induced by nicotine (NT) in male rats with possible modulation of autophagy and pyroptosis signaling pathways. This research was performed on 40 Wistar male rats. They were distributed into four groups: control, normalţnesfatin-1, NT, and NTţnesfatin-1. At the end of the experimental period, the serum was separated for assay of testosterone, FSH and LH. Also, sperm parameters were determined. Histopathological examination of testicular tissue and immunohistochemical analysis was done for mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP-activated protein kinase, and mitogen-activated protein kinases including phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase and phosphorylated cJun N-terminal kinase. Relative gene expression was determined for testicular nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors proteins and Caspase-1, and autophagy markers including microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha and Beclin-1. Also, the following testicular parameters were assayed: 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17bhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase activity, catalase, glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase, reactive oxygen species, caspase-3 activity, IL-1b, IL-18, mitochondrial transmembrane potential and Complex-I activity. The results revealed that the normalţnesfatin-1 group showed insignificant changes as compared to the control group. Meanwhile, the NT group exhibited prominent reproductive dysfunction in male rats. On the other hand, in the NTţnesfatin-1 group nesfatin1 notably attenuated this reproductive dysfunction as evidenced by improvement of hormonal assay, sperm parameters, histopathological picture, immunohistochemical evaluation and real time relative gene expressions. In conclusion: Nesfatin-1 alleviated the impairment of male reproductive functions induced by NT via enhancement of autophagy pathways, suppression of pyroptosis, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS production. Thus nesfatin-1 may offer a novel protective or therapeutic access for treating male infertility. Kulcsszavak: nesfatin-1, reproductive dysfunction, nicotine, autophagy, pyroptosis