Objective Junctional proteins are the most important component of the blood-testis barrier and maintaining the integrity of this barrier is essential for spermatogenesis and male fertility. The present study elucidated the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the blood–testis barrier (BTB) in patients who died from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) complications. Methods In this study, lung and testis tissue was collected from autopsies of COVID-19 positive ( n = 10) and negative men ( n = 10) and was taken for stereology, immunocytochemistry, and RNA extraction. Results Evaluation of the lung tissue showed that the SARS-CoV-2 infection caused extensive damage to the lung tissue and also increases inflammation in testicular tissue and destruction of the testicular blood barrier. Autopsied testicular specimens of COVID-19 showed that COVID-19 infection significantly changes the spatial arrangement of testicular cells and notably decreased the number of Sertoli cells. Moreover, the immunohistochemistry results showed a significant reduction in the protein expression of occluding, claudin-11, and connexin-43 in the COVID-19 group. In addition, we also observed a remarkable enhancement in protein expression of CD68 in the testes of the COVID-19 group in comparison with the control group. Furthermore, the result showed that the expression of TNF-α, IL1β, and IL6 was significantly increased in COVID-19 cases as well as the expression of occludin, claudin-11, and connexin-43 was decreased in COVID-19 cases. Conclusions Overall, the present study demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 could induce the up-regulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine and down-regulation of junctional proteins of the BTB, which can disrupt BTB and ultimately impair spermatogenesis.

To evaluate the incidence of apoptosis within the testes of patients who died from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) complications, testis tissue was collected from autopsies of COVID-19 positive (n = 6) and negative men (n = 6). They were then taken for histopathological experiments, and RNA extraction, to examine the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2), BAX, BCL2 and Caspase3 genes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and glutathione disulfide (GSH) activity were also thoroughly examined. Autopsied testicular specimens of COVID-19 showed that COVID-19 infection significantly decreased the seminiferous tubule length, interstitial tissue and seminiferous tubule volume, as well as the number of testicular cells. An analysis of the results showed that the Johnsen expressed a reduction in the COVID-19 group when compared to the control group. Our data showed that the expression of ACE2, BAX and Caspase3 were remarkably increased as well as a decrease in the expression of BCL2 in COVID-19 cases. Although, no significant difference was found for TMPRSS2. Furthermore, the results signified an increase in the formation of ROS and suppression of the GSH activity as oxidative stress biomarkers. The results of immunohistochemistry and TUNEL assay showed that the expression of ACE2 and the number of apoptotic cells significantly increased in the COVID-19 group. Overall, this study suggests that COVID-19 infection causes spermatogenesis disruption, probably through the oxidative stress pathway and subsequently induces apoptosis.

Cancer is one of the most critical human challenges which endangers many people’s lives every year with enormous direct and indirect costs worldwide. Unfortunately, despite many advanced treatments used in cancer clinics today, the treatments are deficiently encumbered with many side effects often encountered by clinicians while deploying general methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or a combination thereof. Due to their low clinical efficacy, numerous side effects, higher economic costs, and relatively poor acceptance by patients, researchers are striving to find better alternatives for treating this life-threatening complication. As a result, Metal nanoparticles (Metal NPs) have been developed for nearly 2 decades due to their important therapeutic properties. Nanoparticles are quite close in size to biological molecules and can easily penetrate into the cell, so one of the goals of nanotechnology is to mount molecules and drugs on nanoparticles and transfer them to the cell. These NPs are effective as multifunctional nanoplatforms for cancer treatment. They have an advantage over routine drugs in delivering anticancer drugs to a specific location. However, targeting cancer sites while performing anti-cancer treatment can be effective in improving the disease and reducing its complications. Among these, the usage of these nanoparticles (NPs) in photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy are notable. Herein, this review is aimed at investigating the effect and appliances of Metal NPs in the modulation tumor microenvironment which bodes well for the utilization of vast and emerging nanomaterial resources.