The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of moderate-intensity exercise training in sole and simultaneous forms with insulin on experimental type 1 diabetes (T1D)-induced apoptosis. A total of 36 mature male Wistar rats were divided into six equally sized groups, including sedentary control (Con), moderate-intensity exercise training (E-sole), sedentary T1D-induced (D-sole), moderate-exercise-trained T1D-induced (DE), insulin-treated sedentary T1D-induced (DI) and exercise-trained, and insulin-treated T1D-induced (DEI) groups. The 6-week exercise training intervention was involved 30 min of moderate-intensity running on a treadmill once daily (5 days/week). Next, tubular differentiation (TDI) and spermiogenesis (SPI) indices were assessed. The Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 expressions were determined using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blot techniques. Finally, the TUNEL staining was used to analyze the apoptosis ratio. The moderate-intensity exercise training in the sole and when simultaneously considered with insulin (DEI) maintained testicular cellularity, up-regulated Bcl-2 expression, reduced Bax expression and ameliorated the diabetes-induced apoptosis. We failed to show remarkable alterations in caspase-3 mRNA and protein levels in the DE group versus D-sole animals. In conclusion, the moderate-intensity exercise training is able to potentially protect testicular cells from T1D-induced intrinsic apoptosis via up-regulating Bcl-2 and downregulating Bax expressions. Moreover, it amplifies the insulin-induced anti-apoptotic impacts.

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This study was conducted to investigate the possible effects of nanomicelle curcumin (NMC) on spermatogenesis, sperm parameters and in vitro fertilisation potential. For this purpose, 24 mature male Wistar rats were divided into control and test groups. The animals in test groups received 7.5, 15 and 30 mg kg b.w of NMC (NO = 6 rats in each group). Following 48 days, the DNA integrity of testicular tissues, tubular differentiation (TDI) and spermiogenesis (SPI) indices, sperm parameters and DNA integrity were analysed. Finally, the in vitro fertilisation potential was investigated via evaluating pre-implantation embryo generation. The NMC diminished the TDI and SPI ratios. The animals in NMC-received groups exhibited a remarkable (p < .05) reduction in percentage of alive and motile spermatozoa. Moreover, the NMC enhanced the percentage of spermatozoa with decondensed chromatin and elevated the sperm DNA damage ratio. The testicles of NMC-received groups exhibited severe DNA fragmentation. The percentages of zygote, 2-cell, blastocysts and hatched embryos generation were decreased in NMC-received groups compared to control animals. In conclusion, the NMC adversely affects the spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis processes, which in turn results in reducing the sperm quality. Ultimately, decreased sperm quality results in lower pre-implantation embryo development.

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