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Protective Effects of Fisetin in the Mice Induced by Long-Term Scrotal Hyperthermia

  • Reproductive Biology: Original Article
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Abstract

Exposure to heat in the male reproductive system can lead to transient periods of partial or complete infertility. The current study aimed to examine the beneficial effects of  Fisetin against spermatogenic disorders in mice affected by long-term scrotal hyperthermia. For this purpose, hyperthermia was induced daily by exposure to the temperature of 43 °C for 20 min for 5 weeks. Except for the Healthy group, six other groups were exposed to heat stress: two treated groups including Preventive and Curative which received oral administration of fisetin (10 mg/kg/day) starting immediately before heat exposure and 15 consecutive days after the end of the heat exposure, respectively. And for each treated group, two groups including Positive Control (Pre/Cur+PC group) and vehicle (Pre/Cur+DMSO group) were considered. Our results showed that the testicular volume; the density of spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, round spermatid, and Sertoli and Leydig cells; and sperm parameters, as well biochemical properties of the testis tissue, were remarkably higher in both Preventive and Curative groups compared to the other hyperthermia-induced groups and were highest in Preventive ones. Unlike the c-kit gene transcript which was significantly increased in the  Fisetin treatment groups (specially the Preventive group), the expression of HSP72 and NF-kβ genes, Caspase3 protein, and DFI in sperm cells were significantly more decreased in Preventive and Curative groups compared to other hyperthermia-induced groups and were lowest in Preventive ones. Overall,  Fisetin exerts preventive and curative effects against spermatogenic disorders induced by long-term scrotal hyperthermia.

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Acknowledgements

This article is based on the thesis by Mrs. Maryam Piraniat the School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Registration No. 19778).

Funding

The current project was financially supported by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Grant No.19778), Tehran, Iran.

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  1. Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Pirani, Marefat Ghaffari Novin, Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar, Abbas Piryaei, Zahra Kuroshli & Zahra Shams Mofarahe

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  1. Maryam Pirani
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Contributions

M.P. contributed to the study design and performed the experiments and data acquisition and analysis, as well as drafting of the manuscript. M.A.A. contributed to the study concept and design and interpretation of the data and designed stereological assessments and analyses and preparation of the draft of the manuscript. A.P. supervised the study, provided financial support, and contributed to the study concept and design, interpretation of data, and editing and final approval of the manuscript. All authors reviewed and commented on the manuscript and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zahra Shams Mofarahe.

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All animal procedures and informed consent were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (code no. IR.SBMU.MSP.REC.1398.366).

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Pirani, M., Novin, M.G., Abdollahifar, MA. et al. Protective Effects of Fisetin in the Mice Induced by Long-Term Scrotal Hyperthermia. Reprod. Sci. 28, 3123–3136 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-021-00615-1

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