{"title":"Effect of Betaine on Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress in Methotrexate-Induced Testicular Damage in Mice","authors":"Fatemeh Rezaei-Tazangi, Negar Varaa, Zahra Kazemikia, Arash Goodarzi, Layasadat Khorsandi","doi":"10.1155/and/4126428","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n <p><b>Background:</b> Methotrexate (MTX) is widely administered to manage various cancers. However, MTX induces spermatogenic defects.</p>\n <p><b>Objective:</b> This study investigated the protective effects of betaine (BET) against MTX–induced testicular damage.</p>\n <p><b>Materials and Methods:</b> Forty-eight male mice were randomly divided into six groups: control, BET (300 mg/kg), MTX (20 mg/kg), and MTX (20 mg/kg) + BET (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) groups. Testosterone levels, histological changes, sperm quality, apoptosis, and oxidative stress biomarkers were assessed to evaluate the protective effects of BET.</p>\n <p><b>Results:</b> MTX disrupted germinal epithelium, reduced sperm quality, and decreased serum testosterone levels, as well as induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in the testicular tissue. BET dose dependently restored the testosterone levels and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Furthermore, BET reduced lipid peroxidation, as indicated by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. BET preserved normal spermatogenesis, improved sperm quality, and reduced histological changes by MTX. Moreover, BET reduced apoptosis by decreasing the Bcl-2 Associated X-protein (Bax)/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) ratio in the testicular tissue of the MTX-intoxicated mice.</p>\n <p><b>Conclusion:</b> The results indicate that BET mitigates testicular harm triggered by MTX by inhibiting apoptosis and decreasing oxidative stress levels.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":7817,"journal":{"name":"Andrologia","volume":"2024 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/and/4126428","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Andrologia","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/and/4126428","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ANDROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is widely administered to manage various cancers. However, MTX induces spermatogenic defects.
Objective: This study investigated the protective effects of betaine (BET) against MTX–induced testicular damage.
Materials and Methods: Forty-eight male mice were randomly divided into six groups: control, BET (300 mg/kg), MTX (20 mg/kg), and MTX (20 mg/kg) + BET (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) groups. Testosterone levels, histological changes, sperm quality, apoptosis, and oxidative stress biomarkers were assessed to evaluate the protective effects of BET.
Results: MTX disrupted germinal epithelium, reduced sperm quality, and decreased serum testosterone levels, as well as induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in the testicular tissue. BET dose dependently restored the testosterone levels and catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Furthermore, BET reduced lipid peroxidation, as indicated by decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. BET preserved normal spermatogenesis, improved sperm quality, and reduced histological changes by MTX. Moreover, BET reduced apoptosis by decreasing the Bcl-2 Associated X-protein (Bax)/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) ratio in the testicular tissue of the MTX-intoxicated mice.
Conclusion: The results indicate that BET mitigates testicular harm triggered by MTX by inhibiting apoptosis and decreasing oxidative stress levels.
期刊介绍:
Andrologia provides an international forum for original papers on the current clinical, morphological, biochemical, and experimental status of organic male infertility and sexual disorders in men. The articles inform on the whole process of advances in andrology (including the aging male), from fundamental research to therapeutic developments worldwide. First published in 1969 and the first international journal of andrology, it is a well established journal in this expanding area of reproductive medicine.