Is blue light exposure a cause of precocious puberty in male rats?

Purpose: Our study aimed to examine the effects of blue light exposure on prepubertal male rats' puberty and testis tissue. Methods: Eighteen 21-day-old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups consisting of six rats in each group: Control Group (CG), Blue Light-6 hours (BL-6), and Blue Light-12 hours (BL-12). CG rats were maintained with 12/12-hour light-dark cycles. The rats of BL-6 and BL-12 were exposed to blue light (450-470nm/irradiance level 0.03uW/cm2) for 6 hours and 12 hours, respectively. Rats were exposed to blue light until the first signs of puberty. The ELISA method was used to analyze the serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone, DHEA-S, leptin, ghrelin, melatonin, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde. Testes were dissected for histomorphological examination. Results: The medians of the pubertal entry days of the CG, BL-6, and BL-12 were 38th, 30th, and 28th days, respectively. (p:0.001) The FSH, LH, and testosterone concentrations of all groups were similar. The FSH concentration increased as the LH concentration increased (r: 0.82 p: 0.001). The serum LH concentration increased as serum testosterone, and DHEAS decreased, respectively (r: -0.561, p: 0.01) (r:-0.55 p:0.01). Testicular lengths and weights of the BL groups were smaller compared to CG (p: 0.03),(p: 0.04). GPx was higher for BL-6 and BL-12 than the CG (p:0.021, p:0.024). Testis tissue was compatible with the pubertal period in all groups. As the blue light exposure time increased, spermatogenesis was suppressed, and capillary dilatation and edema in the testis tissue increased. Conclusion: Our study is the first to show the effects of blue light exposure on male rats' puberty process. And we showed that exposure to blue light and the duration of exposure lead to precocious puberty in male rats. The blue light exposure suppressed spermatogenesis, marked vasodilatation in the interstitial area of the testis, and disrupted the integrity of the basement membrane. These findings intensified with increasing exposure time.

Effects of Blue Light on Puberty and Ovary in Female Rats

Objective: This study was designed to examine the effect of blue light exposure and exposure time on puberty in an animal model. Methods: Eighteen 21-day-old female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three equal groups which were: control group (CG); blue light-6 hours (BL-6); and blue light-12 hours (BL-12). CG rats were maintained with 12/12-hour light-dark cycles. The animals in BL-6 and BL-12 were exposed to blue light of wavelength 450-470 nm and intensity of 0.03 uW/cm2 for 6 and 12 hours, respectively. Exposure to blue light continued until the first signs of puberty. Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), leptin and melatonin were measured. Subsequently the ovaries and uterus were examined histomorphologically. Results: The median day of puberty start was 38, 32 and 30 for the CG, BL-6, and BL-12 groups, respectively (p=0.001). FSH, testosterone, DHEA-S, and leptin concentrations of all groups were similar. However, LH and estradiol concentrations in BL-6 were higher compared to CG (p=0.02). There was a negative correlation between blue light exposure, exposure time, and melatonin concentrations (r=-0.537, p=0.048). Ovarian tissue was compatible with puberty in all groups. As blue light exposure time increased, capillary dilatation and edema in the ovarian tissue increased. Prolonged exposure was associated with polycystic ovary-like (PCO) morphological changes and apoptosis in granulosa cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that exposure to blue light and the duration of exposure induced earlier puberty in female rats. As the duration of blue light exposure increased, PCO-like inflammation, and apoptosis were detected in the ovaries.

Evaluation of The Effects of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Fruits on the Puberty of Rats

Objective: This study was planned to determine the effects of carob use on puberty because of the observation of early puberty or pubertal variants due to the long-term use of carob in our clinic. Methods: Forty-eight Wistar albino rats, on postnatal day 21, were assigned into two groups female (n=24) and male (n=24). Groups were divided into four groups Control, and Carob-150, Carob-300, and Carob-600. Ceratonia siliqua L. extract was given to rats in a 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) solution. CMC (0.5%) was given to the control, Ceratonia siliqua L. extract was given 150 mg/kg/day to the Carob-150, 300 mg/kg/day to the Carob-300, 600 mg/kg/day to the Carob-600 by oral gavage. The treatments were performed once daily until the first sign of puberty. Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, total testosterone, leptin, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde were measured by commercial rat-specific ELISA kits. Testis, uterus and ovarian tissue were examined histologically. Results: The median time of preputial separation in male rats was 38th, 31st, 31st, and 31st days in the Control, Carob-150, Carob-300, and Carob-600 groups, respectively (p=0.004). The median day of vaginal opening day was the 39th, 31st, 34th, and 31st days in the Control, Carob-150, Carob-300, and Carob-600 groups, respectively (p=0.059). FSH, LH, testosterone (male), estradiol (female) and leptin levels of the groups were similar. However, GPx levels were higher in male and female animals given C. siliqua extract compared to the Control (male p=0.001 and female p=0.008). Testicular and ovarian tissues were concordant with the pubertal period in all groups. As the dose of Ceratonia siliqua extract increased, it induced spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis, causing abnormal changes, such as ondulation in the basement membrane, capillary dilatation, and increased congestion in males. In females, edema in the medulla gradually increased with increased dosage, and granulosa cell connections were separated in Carob-300 and Carob-600 groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that C. siliqua caused early puberty and increased spermiogenesis and folliculogenesis. Antioxidant mechanisms were impaired with increasing dose, possibly leading to tissue damage at high doses.

Protective Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Saline on Experimental Intestinal Volvulus in Rats.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal volvulus can cause morbidity and mortality. Surgical reduction, on the other hand, could result in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Hydrogen rich saline solution (HRSS neutralizes free radicals in the body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of HRSS in I/R injury in experimental intestinal volvulus in rats. METHODS: Thirty rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups. All procedures were done under general anesthesia and sterile conditions in each animal. Five ml/kg of saline and HRSS were administered intraperitoneally (ip) in Sham (Group 1) and HRSS (Group 2) groups, respectively. Groups 3, 4, and 5 constituted the study groups in which volvulus was created in a 5-cm- long ileal segment 2 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. After 2 hours the volvuli were reduced and following 2 hours of reperfusion, these segments were removed. In volvulus-I/R group (Group 3) no additional procedure was done. HRSS was administered shortly before reperfusion (reduction of the volvulus) in Treatment I (Group 4) and 1 h before experimental volvulus in Treatment II (Group 5) groups. Blood and intestinal tissue samples were obtained from all rats at the 4th hour. Both tissue and blood total oxidant (TOS) and antioxidant status (TAS) levels were determined and tissue histomorphologies were studied. Oxidative stress indices (TOS ÷ TAS) (OSI) were calculated. RESULTS: Tissue TOS and OSI levels and histomorphological injury scores were statistically lower in treatment groups than I/R group, whereas blood TOS and OSI levels were similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides biochemical and histomorphological evidence that HRSS prevents intestinal damage in I/R injury caused by volvulus.

Paraoxonase and oxidative stress changes in left and right ventricles of exhaustively exercised rats.

Exhaustive exercise can cause subclinical inflammation to the heart, as it is an oxidative tissue that works continuously. The effect of exhaustive exercise on left and right ventricles (LVs, RVs) may be different. It is claimed that paraoxonase-1 (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme, has a cardioprotective effect on oxidative stress. Rats were separated as non-exercised controls (Con), those euthanized immediately after (E-0) and 24 h after exhaustive exercise (E-24). Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), PON1 activities, and histological findings in LV and RV of the exhausted rats were evaluated. TAS and PON1 levels were lower in LVs compared with RVs of all groups. TOS levels were high in LVs compared with RVs of all groups. In LVs, TAS levels decreased significantly in the E-0 group while PON1 activity decreased in E-0 and E-24 groups compared with controls. In LVs, TOS levels decreased significantly in E-0 and E-24 groups, but in RVs a decrease was seen only in the E-0 group. cTnI levels increased significantly in the E-0 group and decreased to control levels in the E-24 group. Considering the histological and biochemical findings, exhaustive exercise affected the heart to the maximum during and just after exhaustion, and LV was influenced more than RV.