Role of coenzyme Q10 in testicular damage induced by acrylamide in weaned albino rats: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Acrylamide is a vinyl monomer frequently used in the polymer industry. It has the potential to adversely affect male reproductive capacity. Coenzyme Q10 [CoQ10] is a strong antioxidant. The objectives of this study were to examine the histological changes in the testis after the administration of acrylamide and the possible protective role of CoQ10. Thirty weaned male albino rats aged 21 days were classified into three groups of 10 rats each: group I was the control group; group II [acrylamide-treated rats] received oral acrylamide at 15 mg/kg body weight/day; and group III [protected group] received both acrylamide [at the same previous dose] and an intrsperitoneal injection of CoQ10 at 10 mg/kg body weight/day. After 8 weeks, blood samples were taken to measure the serum testosterone level. The testes from each animal were dissected out and processed for light microscope examination using Hand E stains and immunohistochemical stains for the detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Morphometric and statistical analyses were carried out. After the administration of acrylamide, variable degrees of tubular affection were observed. Some tubules were shrunken with disorganized germinal epithelium. Spermatogonia contained darkly stained nuclei. Cellular vacuolations as well as sloughed spermatogenic cells into the lumen were observed. The interstitium was widened with interstitial hyperplasia, eosinophilic material, and congested capillaries. Immunohistochemically, acrylamide treatment induced a marked reduction in the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunoreactive Spermatogonia and spermatocytes and an increase in the number of inducible nitric oxide synthase immunoreactive spermatids and spermatocytes. The concomitant administration of CoQ10 with acrylamide induced an observable protection against these changes. CoQ10 played a protective role against acrylamide-induced testicular damage

Effect of experimental orchiectomy on hippocampus of adult albino rat and the role of testosterone supplementation: a histological and immunhistochemical study

The brain is one of the target organs for the gonadal hormone 'testosterone'. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in learning and memory. It is a sensitive region for the effect of testosterone and hence is vulnerable to gradual age-related decline of testosterone level in men. This work aimed to study the histological changes in rat hippocampus after experimentally induced orchiectomy and assess the possible beneficial role of testosterone replacement. Thirty-five adult male albino rats were divided into control group [group I] and two experimental groups [groups II and III]. Rats in groups II and III were subjected to orchiectomy. The orchiectomized rats in group III were treated daily with testosterone propionate [0.5 mg/kg/day] and both groups were left alone for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, all rats were anaesthetized and their brains were removed and processed. Sections were stained by H and E and immunohistochemically for Bax, BcIe, and glial fibrillary acidic proteins [GFAP]. Further, the serum level of testosterone was measured. The results were statistically analysed. Examination of the hippocampus of orchiectomized rats showed decreased thickness of the pyramidal layer, which contained many apoptotic cells. Minute haemorrhage, cellular infiltration and dilated capillaries were also seen. Immunohistochemically, intense Bax and GFAP with minimal Bcl2 reactions were detected. The hippocampi of orchiectomized rats treated with testosterone were less affected. The pyramidal cell layer thickness was relatively normal. Few nerve cells with dark cytoplasm appeared among the normal ones. Further, minimal Bax and GFAP with moderate BcI2 reaction were detected. Statistically, there was a significant decrease in the level of testosterone in group II compared with group I. The results demonstrated that decrease in the level of testosterone had deleterious histological effects on rat hippocampi. Testosterone replacement ameliorated these histological changes after orchiectomy