Effect of Diethyl Maleate Induced Oxidative Stress on Male Reproductive Activity in Mice: Redox Active Enzymes and Transcription Factors Expression

• Published in: Molecular and cellular biochemistry 2006-10, Vol.291 (1), p.55-61
• Main Authors: Kaur, Parminder, Kalia, Sumiti, Bansal, Mohinder P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; cfos; cjun; DEM; Enzymatic activity; Fertility; Fertility - drug effects; Free radicals; GCS; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase - genetics; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase - metabolism; Glutathione - metabolism; GSH; Male; Maleates - pharmacology; Manganese; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Oxidation-Reduction - drug effects; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Rodents; Superoxide Dismutase - genetics; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; testes; Testis - drug effects; Transcription Factor AP-1 - genetics; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 0300-8177; 1573-4919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11010-006-9195-6

Free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with oxidative stress are likely to play a number of significant roles in male reproduction. Present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of diethyl maleate (DEM) induced oxidative stress on male fertility in mice. Intraperitoneal injection of DEM for two weeks resulted in decrease in reduced glutathione and increase in the oxidized glutathione levels in the testis. Effect on the reproductive ability in term of sperm concentration, motility and fertility status was studied. Sperm concentration and motility were found to be significantly reduced along with a significant reduction in the litter size. Expression of redox sensitive transcription factor, cjun and cfos genes, along with γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (GCS) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) expression were also studied using RT-PCR after DEM treatment. RT-PCR analysis revealed decrease in the testicular mRNA expression for cjun and cfos whereas the expression for GCS and MnSOD increased. Enzyme activity of SOD also increased. The study reflects the effect of DEM induced oxidative stress on the reproductive ability of male mice and interplay of the various components of the antioxidant defense system and redox regulated transcription factors at the transcriptional level.