The Modulatory Role of Vitamin C in Boldenone Undecylenate Induced Testicular Oxidative Damage and Androgen Receptor Dysregulation in Adult Male Rats

Overview

Journal Antioxidants (Basel)

Date 2020 Oct 31

PMID 33126548

Citations 12

Authors

Amany Behairy

Nabela I El-Sharkawy

Taghred M Saber

Mohamed Mohamed Soliman

Mohamed M M Metwally

Ghada I Abd El-Rahman

Yasmina M Abd-Elhakim

Maha M El Deib

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study explored the effect of vitamin C (Vit-C) administration on the reproductive function of adult male Wistar rats injected with boldenone undecylenate (BOL).

Methods: Rats were randomly assigned into control, vehicle control, Vit-C (120 mg/kg b.wt./day, orally), BOL (received 5 mg/kg b.wt./week, IM) and BOL+Vit-C-treated groups. After eight weeks, hormonal assay, semen evaluation, testicular enzymes, and antioxidants biomarkers were assessed. Besides, the histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations of the androgen receptor (AR) expression were performed.

Results: The results revealed that serum testosterone, acid phosphatase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, sperm abnormalities, and testicular malondialdehyde were significantly incremented in the BOL-treated group. Testicular weight, sperm count, and sperm motility together with serum levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol, and testicular testosterone, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione showed a significant decrease following BOL treatment. Besides, the AR immunoreactivity was significantly decreased in testicular tissues. Vit-C co-administration with BOL significantly relieved the BOL-induced sperm abnormalities, reduced sperm motility, testicular enzyme leakage, and oxidative damage. However, Vit-C could rescue neither BOL-induced hormonal disturbances nor AR down-regulation.

Conclusions: The results provide further insight into the mechanisms of BOL-induced reproductive dysfunction and its partial recovery by Vit-C.

Citing Articles

Nandrolone decanoate-induced hypogonadism in male rats: Dose- and time-dependent effects on pituitary and testicular hormonal functions.

Karimi S, Kazori N, Alavi S, Alijanpour S, Siddiqi M, Zeynali B Physiol Rep. 2024; 12(19):e70053.

PMID: 39370302 PMC: 11456365. DOI: 10.14814/phy2.70053.

Mitigating effect of gallic acid on zinc oxide nanoparticles and arsenic trioxide-induced spermatogenesis suppression, testicular injury, hormonal imbalance, and immunohistochemical changes in rats.

Behairy A, Hashem M, Abo-El-Sooud K, El-Metwally A, Soliman A, Mouneir S Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2024; 397(12):9859-9875.

PMID: 38935127 PMC: 11582332. DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03228-y.

Influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and/or cadmium chloride oral exposure on testicular morphology, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in rats: Ameliorative role of co-enzyme Q10.

Behairy A, Hashem M, Abo-El-Sooud K, Soliman A, Mouneir S, El-Metwally A Heliyon. 2024; 10(1):e24049.

PMID: 38268588 PMC: 10806338. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24049.

Oxidative Stress and Male Infertility: The Protective Role of Antioxidants.

Kaltsas A Medicina (Kaunas). 2023; 59(10).

PMID: 37893487 PMC: 10608597. DOI: 10.3390/medicina59101769.

The Behavioral and Neurochemical Changes Induced by Boldenone and/or Tramadol in Adult Male Rats.

Mowaad N, El-Shamarka M, Khadrawy Y Neurochem Res. 2022; 48(5):1320-1333.

PMID: 36449200 PMC: 10066173. DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03827-2.

References

Bueno A, Carvalho F, Gutierres J, Lhamas C, Brusco I, Oliveira S . Impacts of dose and time of boldenone and stanazolol exposure in inflammatory markers, oxidative and nitrosative stress and histopathological changes in the rat testes. Theriogenology. 2017; 90:101-108. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.11.024. View

Pope Jr H, Kanayama G, Athey A, Ryan E, Hudson J, Baggish A . The lifetime prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroid use and dependence in Americans: current best estimates. Am J Addict. 2013; 23(4):371-7. PMC: 3961570. DOI: 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12118.x. View

Santos J, Mendonca A, Sousa R, Silva T, Bigonha S, Santos E . Food-drug interaction: Anabolic steroids aggravate hepatic lipotoxicity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease induced by trans fatty acids. Food Chem Toxicol. 2018; 116(Pt B):360-368. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.04.056. View

de Souza G, Hallak J . Anabolic steroids and male infertility: a comprehensive review. BJU Int. 2011; 108(11):1860-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10131.x. View

Fritz I . Somatic cell-germ cell relationships in mammalian testes during development and spermatogenesis. Ciba Found Symp. 1994; 182:271-4; discussion 274-81. DOI: 10.1002/9780470514573.ch15. View

Melnik B, Jansen T, Grabbe S . Abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids and bodybuilding acne: an underestimated health problem. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2007; 5(2):110-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1610-0387.2007.06176.x. View

Kehinde O, Christianah O, Oyetunji O . Ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate synergistically aggravates testicular dysfunction in adult Wistar rats. Int J Physiol Pathophysiol Pharmacol. 2018; 10(1):39-46. PMC: 5871628. View

Tousson E, El-Moghazy M, Massoud A, El-Atrash A, Sweef O, Akel A . Physiological and biochemical changes after boldenone injection in adult rabbits. Toxicol Ind Health. 2013; 32(1):177-82. DOI: 10.1177/0748233713501365. View

Robb G, Amann R, Killian G . Daily sperm production and epididymal sperm reserves of pubertal and adult rats. J Reprod Fertil. 1978; 54(1):103-7. DOI: 10.1530/jrf.0.0540103. View

10.

Hsu S, RAINE L, FANGER H . Use of avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) in immunoperoxidase techniques: a comparison between ABC and unlabeled antibody (PAP) procedures. J Histochem Cytochem. 1981; 29(4):577-80. DOI: 10.1177/29.4.6166661. View

11.

Watanabe N . Decreased number of sperms and Sertoli cells in mature rats exposed to diesel exhaust as fetuses. Toxicol Lett. 2004; 155(1):51-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2004.08.010. View

12.

Reyes-Vallejo L . Current use and abuse of anabolic steroids. Actas Urol Esp (Engl Ed). 2020; 44(5):309-313. DOI: 10.1016/j.acuro.2019.10.011. View

13.

Kittel B, Ruehl-Fehlert C, Morawietz G, Klapwijk J, Elwell M, Lenz B . Revised guides for organ sampling and trimming in rats and mice--Part 2. A joint publication of the RITA and NACAD groups. Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2004; 55(6):413-31. DOI: 10.1078/0940-2993-00349. View

14.

Fronczak C, Kim E, Barqawi A . The insults of illicit drug use on male fertility. J Androl. 2011; 33(4):515-28. DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.110.011874. View

15.

Zhu L, Hardy M, Inigo I, Huhtaniemi I, Bardin C, MOO-YOUNG A . Effects of androgen on androgen receptor expression in rat testicular and epididymal cells: a quantitative immunohistochemical study. Biol Reprod. 2000; 63(2):368-76. DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod63.2.368. View

16.

Kim E, Crosnoe L, Bar-Chama N, Khera M, Lipshultz L . The treatment of hypogonadism in men of reproductive age. Fertil Steril. 2012; 99(3):718-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.10.052. View

17.

Nishikimi M, Appaji N, Yagi K . The occurrence of superoxide anion in the reaction of reduced phenazine methosulfate and molecular oxygen. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1972; 46(2):849-54. DOI: 10.1016/s0006-291x(72)80218-3. View

18.

Birgner C, Kindlundh-Hogberg A, Alsio J, Lindblom J, Schioth H, Bergstrom L . The anabolic androgenic steroid nandrolone decanoate affects mRNA expression of dopaminergic but not serotonergic receptors. Brain Res. 2008; 1240:221-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.09.003. View

19.

Lewis S, Aitken R, Conner S, Iuliis G, Evenson D, Henkel R . The impact of sperm DNA damage in assisted conception and beyond: recent advances in diagnosis and treatment. Reprod Biomed Online. 2013; 27(4):325-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2013.06.014. View

20.

Agarwal A, Saleh R, Bedaiwy M . Role of reactive oxygen species in the pathophysiology of human reproduction. Fertil Steril. 2003; 79(4):829-43. DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(02)04948-8. View