ABSTRACT
Background: Scrotal hyperthermia has been known as a cause of male infertility with impaired spermatogenesis
Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the heat-induced alterations in spermatogenesis, and the accompanied testicular dysfunction in adult rats, and the effect of ghrelin and its possible mechanism of action in averting such reproductive damage
Materials and Methods: Ninety six adult male rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups 24 animal each]: control, ghrelin, heated and ghrelin-heated groups. The scrota of heated-designed rats were submerged once in water bath at 43 Degree C for 30 min. Immediately upon heating, 2 ng/Kg of ghrelin were given subcutaneously to ghrelin-heated animals every other day up to the end of the experiment [day 60]. The animals were sacrificed at days 15, 30 and 60 after heat treatment. The epididymis were removed for evaluation of epididymal sperm characteristics. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], as well as serum and testicular testosterone concentration as a biomarker of testicular functions were measured. Anti-apoptotic protein: heat shock protein-70 [HSP-70] was also evaluated. In addition testicular histopathology was clone
Results: The heated group showed significant testicular dysfunction in the form reduced weight of the testis, impaired spermatogenesis [decreased sperm count, motility, viability and sperm membrane integrity,], higher levels of serum LH and FSH, whereas decreased serum and testicular testosterone and HSP-70 levels in comparison to control animals. Testicular histopathology revealed significant reduction in the means of seminiferous tubules diameters [MSTD] with obvious germ cells apoptosis, degeneration of spermatogenic cells and small sized and number of interstitial cells of Leydig up to day 60 of the experiment. Notably, in ghrelin-heated group, ghrelin induced partial recovery in all of the above-mentioned parameters and improved testicular regeneration process by day 30 compared to the heated group. On day, 60 of the experiment, ghrelin restored spermatogenesis and attenuated the heat-induced testicular dysfunction to the levels observed in the control animals
Conclusion: Findings of the present study indicate the ghrelin ability in attenuation of heat-induced testicular dysfunction probably by activating testicular endocrine systems and anti- apoptotic effect