Testicular histomorphologic and stereological alterations following short‐term treatment with highly active antiretroviral drugs (HAART) in an experimental animal model

Abstract

SUMMARYThe increased accessibility of antiretroviral therapy continues to positively drive the reduction in viral load and survival of patients despite the attendant reproductive toxicities. We propose that testicular damage caused by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HA-ART) can be attenuated by antioxidant treatment by investigating the testicular histomorphologic and stereological effects of antiretroviral drugs and its interaction with antioxidants using an experimental animal model. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into seven groups of six rats per group (A, B. . . G) using simple random sampling and treated orally with 0.9% normal saline as placebo, a HAART cocktail of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine using the adjusted human therapeutic doses of 200, 600 and 350-400 mg/ day, respectively, and antioxidants ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and I.M a-tocopherol (vitamin E). Animals were killed after 4 weeks and testicular tissue harvested and processed for light microscopy and stereological evaluations. The results were interpreted by a Veterinary pathologist blinded to the study. No animal died during the experimental period. The histopathological assessment of the testis of animals treated with placebo, ascorbic acid alone and a-tocopherol alone as well as vitamin E + HAART displayed normal testicular microanatomy. Groups treated with HAART alone, HAART + vitamin C + vitamin E and vitamins C + HAART showed extensive seminiferous tubular atrophy, necrosis and hypocellularity in the histoarchitectural patterns. While testicular cross-sectional area of seminiferous tubules remained unaffected by HAART, epithelial heights significantly decreased (p < 0.05) when compared with controls. There was marked (p < 0.05) increased in testicular-body weight ratio in HAART group. The results show that vitamin E could be useful in protecting testicular tissue from toxicities of HAART regimes as these results mirrors stereological data for the groups. HAART presents with deleterious histopathological changes in the testes causing tubular atrophy with altered morphometric indices. Supplementation with vitamin E appears to be a better adjuvant antioxidant that ameliorates these deleterious effects.

Coconut Oil Extract Mitigates Testicular Injury Following Adjuvant Treatment with Antiretroviral Drugs

“…Several studies that have examined HAART effects on semen parameters and other morphometric features of the testis (9,47), have supported our overall result indicating HAART-induced distortions do occur by changes in morphology and morphometric indices of the testis. These ravages were ameliorated by VCO possibly due to its rich antioxidative properties as previously stated by (48).…”

“…Several reports have raised the possibility that long-term use of antiretroviral drugs may interrupt normal male reproductive function (9,10). Clinical and animal experimental studies have ascertained the negative influence of HAART on sperm functional parameters, sexual hormones, testicular structure, germinal cell development, as well as testicular carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (9,11).…”

“…Clinical and animal experimental studies have ascertained the negative influence of HAART on sperm functional parameters, sexual hormones, testicular structure, germinal cell development, as well as testicular carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (9,11). With the high financial burden of sustaining compliance with antiretroviral regimens, there is a major challenge of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) (12) most especially among sub-Saharan Africa necessitating majority of them resorting to the use of traditional medicines and products (13,14) for improvement of their well-being.…”

Impaired expression of testicular androgen receptor and collagen fibers in the testis of diabetic rats under HAART: the role of Hypoxis hemerocallidea

“…The reduction in spermatogenic cells seen is similar to atrophic seminiferous tubules with denuded sperm cells which are all consequences of a diabetic pathology [48]. Derangements in the process of spermatogenesis seen in diabetic conditions have been previously documented [45,49] to the testicular disruption [50]. Diabetes is known to alter basement membrane thickness which ultimately causes declines in sperm production (count) and morphology of the tubules [51].…”

Comparison of Antioxidant Effects of Kolaviron and Vitamin C Interventions on Testicular Structures Following Nevirapine Administration in Sprague-Dawley Rats

“…Despite this, HAART toxicity had been implicated in organs of male reproductive system (Azu et al, 2014) and the roles of antioxidants most especially Kolaviron (flavonoid from Garcinia kola) in alleviating the menace was earlier reported (Adaramoye et al, 2013). A kin interest is placed on Kolaviron as indigenous based product as a replacement to single dose antioxidant which is believed to be ineffective and diverted the attention of researchers to the use of combined antioxidants.…”