Chronic intermittent stress-induced alterations in the spermatogenesis and antioxidant status of the testis are irreversible in albino rat

Abstract

The study was undertaken to find out whether or not chronic stress-induced alterations in spermatogenesis are accompanied by oxidative damage in the testis and reversibility of these effects. Adult male rats (n = 10) were subjected to restraint for 1 h and later after a gap of 4 h to forced swimming exercise for 15 min daily for 60 days and controls (n = 5) were maintained without disturbance. After treatment period, controls and 5 rats in stress group were killed and remaining rats in stress group were maintained without any treatment for 4 months and then autopsied to find out whether effects are reversible or not. The body and testicular weight, total sperm count, and mean number of type A spermatogonia, mid-pachytene spermatocytes, stage 7 spermatids, and elongated spermatids (cellular association in stage VII of spermatogenesis) showed a significant decrease whereas the abnormal sperm count and germ cell apoptosis were increased in stressed and recovery group rats compared to controls. Activities of testicular SOD, CAT, GPx, and GST were significantly decreased whereas MDA levels were significantly increased in stressed rats compared to controls. The SOD, GST, and CAT activities of recovery groups were significantly lower than controls, whereas MDA levels and GPx activity of these rats did not differ from controls. The results, for the first time, reveal that stress-induced loss of germ cells leading to decrease in sperm count may be due to oxidative damage caused by chronic stress and majority of these changes are not reversible.

Sexual behavior attenuates the effects of chronic stress in body weight, testes, sexual accessory glands, and plasma testosterone in male rats

“…Similar results have been reported previously using restraint and forced swimming daily for 60 days and many of these changes are not reversible, since they remain 4 months after stress exposure (Nirupama et al, 2012). The decrease in body weight gain observed in this work confirms previous reports about the effect of stress by immersion in cold water on body weight gain (RetanaMárquez et al, 2003a).…”

“…Immobilization (5 h/day) for 60 days or immobilization (1 h/day) followed by forced swimming (15 min/day) for 60 days causes a reduction in sperm count, viability and motility, as well as a decrease in the number of sperm (Hari Priya and Reddy, 2012) and the mean number of type A spermatogonia, mid-pachytene spermatocytes, stage 7 spermatids, and elongated spermatids in the seminiferous tubules. Most of these changes have been shown to be irreversible (Nirupama et al, 2012).…”

Oxidative status in testis and epididymal sperm parameters after acute and chronic stress by cold-water immersion in the adult rat

“…Recently, chronic stress by immobilization has been associated with altering antioxidant enzyme activity, and oxidative damage to membrane lipids and DNA in testes [Nirupama et al 2013;Priya and Reddy 2012]. These alterations are explained by the negative effects of ROS, such as superoxide anion radical (O À 2 ), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and hydroxyl radical (HO ) [Sikka 2001].…”

Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in rat testis by cold water immersion-induced acute and chronic stress

“…Furthermore, these stressors can cause an increase in caspase-3 gene expression, as well as an induction of caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities, supporting a double apoptosis pathway activation (extrinsic/intrinsic) . One hour immobilization-induced stress, followed by forced swimming (15 minutes) daily for 60 days in rats, causes an increase in testicular germ cell apoptosis and a decrease in epididymal sperm count [Nirupama et al 2012]. Although in all these conditions germ cells undergo apoptosis, and it has been speculated that an apoptotic pathway (intrinsic, extrinsic) is activated, it is not clear which one of the apoptotic signaling pathways (intrinsic/extrinsic) is involved in the testes stress response.…”