Maternofetal and Embryo Research Group (MatE), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor Branch, Sungai Buloh Campus, Sungai Buloh 47000, Selangor, Malaysia.
Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perak Branch, Tapah Campus, Tapah Road 35400, Perak, Malaysia.
Asian J Androl. 2021 May-Jun;23(3):281-287. doi: 10.4103/aja.aja_81_20.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to cause reproductive impairment. In men, it has been linked to altered sperm quality and testicular damage. Oxidative stress (OS) plays a pivotal role in the development of DM complications. Glutathione (GSH) is a part of a nonenzymatic antioxidant defense system that protects lipid, protein, and nucleic acids from oxidative damage. However, the protective effects of exogenous GSH on the male reproductive system have not been comprehensively examined. This study determined the impact of GSH supplementation in ameliorating the adverse effect of type 1 DM on sperm quality and the seminiferous tubules of diabetic C57BL/6NTac mice. GSH at the doses of 15 mg kg and 30 mg kg was given intraperitoneally to mice weekly for 6 consecutive weeks. The mice were then weighed, euthanized, and had their reproductive organs excised. The diabetic (D Group) showed significant impairment of sperm quality and testicular histology compared with the nondiabetic (ND Group). Diameters of the seminiferous lumen in diabetic mice treated with 15 mg kg GSH (DGSH15) were decreased compared with the D Group. Sperm motility was also significantly increased in the DGSH15 Group. Improvement in testicular morphology might be an early indication of the protective roles played by the exogenous GSH in protecting sperm quality from effects of untreated type 1 DM or diabetic complications. Further investigation using different doses and different routes of GSH is necessary to confirm this suggestion.
糖尿病（DM）已知会导致生殖损伤。在男性中，它与精子质量改变和睾丸损伤有关。氧化应激（OS）在 DM 并发症的发展中起着关键作用。谷胱甘肽（GSH）是一种非酶抗氧化防御系统的一部分，可保护脂质、蛋白质和核酸免受氧化损伤。然而，外源性 GSH 对男性生殖系统的保护作用尚未得到全面研究。本研究旨在确定 GSH 补充对改善 1 型 DM 对精子质量和糖尿病 C57BL/6NTac 小鼠生精小管的不良影响。每周腹腔内给予 GSH 15mg/kg 和 30mg/kg 剂量，连续 6 周。然后称重、安乐死并切除生殖器官。与非糖尿病（ND 组）相比，糖尿病（D 组）小鼠的精子质量和睾丸组织学明显受损。用 15mg/kg GSH 治疗的糖尿病小鼠（DGSH15 组）的生精小管管腔直径较 D 组减小。DGSH15 组的精子活力也显著增加。睾丸形态的改善可能是外源性 GSH 发挥保护作用的早期迹象，可防止精子质量受到未经治疗的 1 型 DM 或糖尿病并发症的影响。需要使用不同剂量和不同途径的 GSH 进行进一步研究，以证实这一建议。
