Bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress in the impairment of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in rats

• Published in: Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2006-10, Vol.22 (3), p.493-500
• Main Authors: Reddy, Mallikarjuna M., Mahipal, Suraneni V.K., Subhashini, Jagu, Reddy, Madhava C., Roy, Karnati R., Reddy, Gorla V., Reddy, Pingili R.K., Reddanna, Pallu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute endotoxemia; Animals; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Catalase - metabolism; Cyclooxygenase 2 - genetics; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Endotoxemia - complications; Endotoxemia - metabolism; Endotoxemia - physiopathology; Escherichia coli Infections - complications; Escherichia coli Infections - metabolism; Escherichia coli Infections - physiopathology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glutathione - metabolism; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Infertility, Male - etiology; Infertility, Male - metabolism; Infertility, Male - physiopathology; Inflammatory mediators; Interleukin-1 - genetics; Interleukin-1 - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides - adverse effects; Male; Medical sciences; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Oxidants - metabolism; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Spermatogenesis; Steroidogenesis; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Teratology. Teratogens; Testis; Testis - metabolism; Testis - pathology; Testosterone - metabolism; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0890-6238; 1873-1708
• DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2006.03.003

Microbial infections, localized as well as systemic, are known to cause transitive or permanent male infertility. However, the mechanisms of infection-induced infertility are largely unknown. Earlier reports showed that steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis are affected during bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute inflammation. The present study used an LPS rat model to investigate the role of oxidative stress in spermatogenesis. Intraperitoneal administration of bacterial LPS (5 mg/kg body weight) to adult male albino rats elevated testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), and decreased the activities of testicular antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. The GSH/GSSG ratio also decreased significantly. Time series analysis revealed transitory oxidative stress and expression of inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) from 3 h to 12 h after LPS. Testicular expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein decreased to 24 h, in correlation with damage to spermatogenesis. These data are consistent with oxidative stress as a major causal factor in altered steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, and perhaps male infertility during endotoxin-induced acute inflammation.