Testosterone-induced changes in testicular antioxidant system

Abstract

S u m m a r y . In order to investigate the role of testosterone propionate (TP) on the antioxidant system of the rat testis, lipid peroxidation (LPX) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) of the testis of testosterone-treated and control rats were compared. The results indicate that T P administration to intact adult rats resulted in a significant decline in protein content of various subcellular fractions. This is accompanied with significant elevation in LPX levels of various subcellular fractions suggesting induction of oxidative stress. Activities of three enzymes related to the metabolism of superoxide radical (SOD) and hydrogen peroxide (CAT and GPx) of testis, were found to be significantly decreased in response to T P treatment. The role of testosterone in regulating testicular spermatogenesis through oxidative stress is discussed.

Testosterone Induces Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration by NADPH Oxidase and c-Src–Dependent Pathways

“…In addition, we show a key role of c-Src in both genomic and nongenomic effects of testosterone in VSMCs. Our data corroborate previous studies showing that testosterone induces oxidative stress in rabbit and rat prostate 34,35 and is related to augmentation of blood pressure levels in different animal models of hypertension.…”

Antioxidant Systems and Oxidative Stress in the Testes

“…94,95 Suppression of intratesticular testosterone with exogenous steroids, including both androgens and estrogens, similarly results in the suppression of antioxidant enzyme expression, a concomitant increase in peroxidative damage, the disruption of spermatogenesis and an increase in germ cell apoptosis. [95][96][97] correlated well with the severity of the varicosity. 70 The general concept that testicular pathologies associated with varicocele are linked with the induction of oxidative stress has been confirmed in animal models.…”

Sex-specific effects of prenatal testosterone on nestling plasma antioxidant capacity in the zebra finch

“…If egg hormone treatment were to result in consistently higher nestling blood levels of testosterone or related steroids this would probably affect plasma total antioxidant capacity. It has been shown that high levels of circulating testosterone impair antioxidant enzymes in rat and rabbit testicular tissues (Chainy et al, 1997;Aydilek et al, 2004) [but see Peltola et al (Peltola et al, 1996)]. Moreover, high testosterone blood levels have recently been shown also to negatively influence red blood cell resistance to a free radical attack in adult zebra finch males (Alonso-Alvarez et al, 2007b).…”