Abstract
Hyper- or hypothyroidism can impair testicular function leading to infertility. The present study was designed to examine the protective effect of date palm pollen (DPP) extract on thyroid disorder-induced testicular dysfunction. Rats were divided into six groups. Group I was normal control. Group II received oral DPP extract (150 mg kg-1), group III (hyperthyroid group) received intraperitoneal injection of L-thyroxine (L-T4, 300μg kg-1; i.p.), group IV received L-T4 plus DPP extract, group V (hypothyroid group) received propylthiouracil (PTU, 10 mg kg-1; i.p.) and group VI received PTU plus DPP extract. All treatments were given every day for 56 days. L-T4 or PTU lowered genital sex organs weight, sperm count and motility, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T), testicular function markers and activities of testicular 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD). Moreover, L-T4 or PTU increased estradiol (E2) serum level, testicular oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptotic markers. Morphometric and histopathologic studies backed these observations. Treatment with DPP extract prevented LT4- or PTU induced changes. In addition, supplementation of DPP extract to normal rats augmented sperm count and motility, serum levels of LH, T and E2 paralleled with increased activities of 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD as well as testicular antioxidant status. These results provide evidence that DPP extract may have potential protective effects on testicular dysfunction induced by altered thyroid hormones.
Highlights
Thyroid hormones (THs) have numerous actions including regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, oxygen consumption, normal growth and development
The present study demonstrated that hyper- or hypothyroidism induced abnormalities in sex hormones levels, sperm qualities, testicular marker enzymes activities and eventually testicular dysfunction that was greatly improved by date palm pollen (DPP) extract supplementation
It is noteworthy that hypothyroidism caused a decrease in the body weight, which may be due to loss of the growthstimulating effect of the THs or to PTU-induced loss of appetite [5, 50]
Summary
Thyroid hormones (THs) have numerous actions including regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, oxygen consumption, normal growth and development. The gonads were believed to be unresponsive to THs; THs receptors were detected in human and rat testes throughout the life span [3]. Through these receptors, THs can regulate the maturation and growth of testis and control Sertoli cell and Leydig cell proliferation and differentiation during testicular development in mammals [4]. Studies have shown that thyroid dysfunction results in altered sex hormones levels, impaired testicular function and eventually infertility [5,6,7]. Several antioxidant or anti-apoptotic agents have been used to ameliorate thyroid disorder-induced testicular dysfunction [5, 13]
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