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Attenuation potentials of royal jelly against hydroxyurea-induced infertility through inhibiting oxidation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in male rats

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Abstract

Hydroxyurea (HDU), a class of antineoplastic drugs, has a powerful efficacy in the treatment of several types of malignancies. However, it has multiple adverse effects including reduced fertility, especially in males. Thus, 60 male albino rats were used to investigate the chemoprotective potentials of royal jelly on HDU-induced testicular damage. Animals were gastro-gavaged with HDU (225 or 450 mg kg−1 bw day−1) before royal jelly (100 mg kg−1 bw day−1) for 60 days. Blood samples and testicles were collected, and spermatozoon was obtained. In a dose-dependent manner, the sperm count, motility and liveability, and testosterone, GSH, and catalase concentrations were decreased in HDU groups, whereas MDA, FSH, LH, IL-6, and IFN-γ expression levels were increased. Germinal epithelium degeneration, germ cell sloughing, reduction in the number of luminal spermatozoa, interstitial congestion, and severe leukocyte infiltration besides no glandular secretion in most of the acini were identified. However, royal jelly intake in HDU-treated rats successfully improved sperm quality, hormonal and antioxidant status, and reproductive organ histoarchitecture. Thus, it could be concluded that royal jelly is endowed with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities and could be, therefore, used as an adjuvant remedy to improve HDU-induced male subfertility.

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Abbreviations

AR:

androgen receptor

CAT:

catalase

CTR:

control

GSH:

reduced glutathione

HDU:

hydroxyurea

HE:

hematoxylin and eosin

IL-6:

interleukin-6

IFN-γ:

interferon-γ

FSH:

follicular stimulating hormone

LH:

luteinizing hormone

MDA:

malondialdehyde

PBS:

phosphate buffer saline

RJ:

Royal jelly

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SEM:

standard error of mean

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    Hossam G. Tohamy

  2. Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    Dina R. Gad El-Karim

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, Egypt

    Yasser S. El-Sayed

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  1. Hossam G. Tohamy
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  2. Dina R. Gad El-Karim
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  3. Yasser S. El-Sayed
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Correspondence to Yasser S. El-Sayed.

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Tohamy, H.G., Gad El-Karim, D.R. & El-Sayed, Y.S. Attenuation potentials of royal jelly against hydroxyurea-induced infertility through inhibiting oxidation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in male rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 21524–21534 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05521-3

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