The effects of retinoic acid and chitosan on testis of mice

objective: High temperatures can trigger cellular oxidative stress and disrupt spermatogenesis,potentially leading to male infertility. We investigated the effects of retinoic acid (RA), chitosannanoparticles (CHNPs), and retinoic acid loaded with chitosan nanoparticles (RACHNPs) onspermatogenesis in mice induced by scrotal hyperthermia (Hyp). Methods: Thirty mice (weighing ۲۵to ۳۰ g) were divided into five experimental groups of six mice each. The groups were as follows:control, Hyp induced by a water bath (۴۳ °C for ۳۰ minutes/day for ۵ weeks), Hyp+RA (۲ mg/kg/day),Hyp+CHNPs (۲ mg/kg/۷۲ hours), and Hyp+RACHNPs (۴ mg/kg/۷۲ hours). The mice were treated for۳۵ days. After the experimental treatments, the animals were euthanized. Sperm samples werecollected for analysis of sperm parameters, and blood serum was isolated for testosteronemeasurement. Testis samples were also collected for histopathology assessment, reactive oxygenspecies (ROS) evaluation, and RNA extraction, which was done to compare the expression levels ofthe bax, bcl۲, p۵۳, Fas, and FasL genes among groups. Additionally, immunohistochemical stainingwas performed. Results: Treatment with RACHNPs significantly increased stereological parameterssuch as testicular volume, seminiferous tubule length, and testicular cell count. Additionally, itincreased testosterone concentration and improved sperm parameters. We observed significantdecreases in ROS production and caspase-۳ immunostaining in the RACHNP group. Moreover, theexpression levels of bax, p۵۳, Fas, and FasL significantly decreased in the groups treated withRACHNPs and RA. Conclusion: RACHNPs can be considered a potent antioxidative andantiapoptotic agent for therapeutic strategies in reproductive and regenerative medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

Azoospermia ، Chitosan ، Hyperthermia ، Nanoparticles ، Retinoic acid ، Scrotum