Protective effect of sodium selenite and zinc sulfate on intensive swimming-induced testicular gamatogenic and steroidogenic disorders in mature male rats

摘要

To investigate the ameliorative potential of sodium selenite and zinc sulfate on intensive-swimming-inducedntesticular disorders, 48 Wistar male rats (age, 4 months; mass, 146.2 ± 3.6 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups: thenunexercised-control group (n = 12); the exercised group (n = 12); the control supplemented group (n = 12); and the exercisednsupplemented group (n = 12). For 10 weeks, the exercised rats underwent a protocol that consisted of 4 hu0002d–1 swimming,nfor 6 du0002week–1; the control rats did not exercise. For 10 weeks, both the supplemented groups received an oralndaily dose of a combination of sodium selenite and zinc sulfate (6 and 3 mgu0002kg body mass–1, respectively). After 10nweeks, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) was seen in rats in the exercised group, compared with rats in both controlngroups, in paired testicular masses; in epididymal sperm count; in testicular D5, 3b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)nand 17b-HSD; in plasma levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and prolactin; in thennumbers of preleptotine spermatocytes, midpachytene spermatocytes, and stage 7 spermatids of the stage VII seminiferousnepithelium cycle; and in fertility performance. As well, a significant increase (p < 0.05) was seen in the exercised group,ncompared with both control groups, in plasma corticosterone levels and in testicular content of malondialdehyde and catalasenactivity. At the same time, there was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the exercised group, compared with bothncontrol groups, in plasma concentrations of zinc and selenium; in the testicular content of glutathione (GSH), the glutathionenand glutathione disulphide (GSSG) ratio, ascorbic acid, and a-tocopherol; and in testicular activities of superoxidendismutase, glutathione-peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase in the testes. No significant changes were seen in thennumber of spermatogonia-A from the stage VII seminiferous epithelium cycle or the testicular content of GSSG amongnthe groups. Sodium selenite and zinc sulfate supplementation significantly protected against exercise-induced testicular gamatogenicnand spermatogenic disorders, prevented testicular oxidative stress, and increased antioxidant status. It can benconcluded that intensive-swimming-induced oxidative stress causes dysfunctions in the male reproductive system, whichncan be protected by the coadministration of sodium selenite and zinc sulfate.