Orazizadeh M, Hashemitabar M, Khorsandi L
Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Ahwaz Jundi-Shapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Jan-Feb;13(1):1-5.
Apoptosis involves in testicular germ cell loss in animals and humans, and plays an important role in male fertility. Previous studies have reported neuroprotective and antiapoptotic effects of minocycline.
In this study the protective effect of Minocycline on testicular germ cell apoptosis arising from dexamethasone (Dex) has been evaluated. Dex is a widely used as a glucocorticoid (GC) agent that its apoptotic effect has been shown.
Experimental groups of 8 male mice received one of the following treatments daily for 7 days: 100 mg/kg Minocycline, 7 mg/kg Dex and 7 mg/kg Dex +100 mg/kg Minocycline. Control group was treated with 0.5 ml saline given orally for a week. Then the mice were sacrificed, and their testes processed for assessment of germ cell apoptosis (TUNEL method), the quality of spermatogenesis (Johnsen score system) and testicular sperm counts.
Germ cell apoptosis were significantly increased in Dex treated mice compared with control (P < 0.01). Spermatogenesis and the number of sperms head were significantly reduced in Dex treated mice compared with those of the control group (P < 0.01). Treatment with Dex and Minocycline resulted in an inhibition effect on germ cell apoptosis and a significant increase in the Johnsen score and the number of head sperm compared with Dex treated mice (P < 0.05).
The application of Minocycline may serve as a beneficial medication to protect germ cells against apoptosis.
细胞凋亡参与动物和人类睾丸生殖细胞的丢失，在男性生育能力中起重要作用。先前的研究报道了米诺环素的神经保护和抗凋亡作用。
本研究评估了米诺环素对由地塞米松（Dex）引起的睾丸生殖细胞凋亡的保护作用。Dex是一种广泛使用的糖皮质激素（GC）药物，其凋亡作用已得到证实。
8只雄性小鼠实验组每天接受以下一种治疗，持续7天：100mg/kg米诺环素、7mg/kg Dex和7mg/kg Dex + 100mg/kg米诺环素。对照组口服0.5ml生理盐水，持续一周。然后处死小鼠，对其睾丸进行处理，以评估生殖细胞凋亡（TUNEL法）、精子发生质量（约翰森评分系统）和睾丸精子计数。
与对照组相比，Dex处理的小鼠生殖细胞凋亡显著增加（P < 0.01）。与对照组相比，Dex处理的小鼠精子发生和精子头部数量显著减少（P < 0.01）。与Dex处理的小鼠相比，Dex和米诺环素联合处理对生殖细胞凋亡有抑制作用，约翰森评分和精子头部数量显著增加（P < 0.05）。
米诺环素的应用可能是一种有益的药物，可保护生殖细胞免受凋亡。
