Radhakrishnan Risna Kanjirassery, Ravichandran Sowbarnika, Sukesh Aishwarya, Kadalmani Balamuthu, Kandasamy Mahesh
Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India.
Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India.
Lab Anim Res. 2022 Mar 4;38(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s42826-022-00117-4.
Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is a widely used therapeutic agent that blocks the excessive release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Previously, repeated intracremasteric injections and slight overdose of BoNT have been reported to induce adverse effects in the testicular parameter of experimental rodents. However, a mild dose of BoNT is highly beneficial against skin ageing, neuromuscular deficits, overactive urinary bladder problems, testicular pain and erectile dysfunctions. Considering the facts, the possible therapeutic benefits of BoNT on the testis might be achieved at a very minimal dosage and via a distal route of action. Therefore, we revisited the effect of BoNT, but with a trace amount injected into the vastus lateralis of the thigh muscle, and analyzed histological parameters of the testis, levels of key antioxidants and sperm parameters in ageing experimental mice.
Experimental animals injected with 1 U/kg bodyweight of BoNT showed enhanced spermatogenesis in association with increased activities of key antioxidants in the testis, leading to enhanced amount of the total sperm count and progressive motility.
This study signifies that a mild intramuscular dose of BoNT can be considered as a potent treatment strategy to manage and prevent male infertility.
肉毒杆菌毒素（BoNT）是一种广泛使用的治疗剂，可阻断神经肌肉接头处乙酰胆碱的过度释放。此前，有报道称，在实验啮齿动物的睾丸参数中，重复进行腹内斜肌注射和轻微过量使用BoNT会产生不良反应。然而，低剂量的BoNT对皮肤老化、神经肌肉功能缺陷、膀胱过度活动症、睾丸疼痛和勃起功能障碍具有显著益处。考虑到这些事实，BoNT对睾丸可能具有的治疗益处或许可以通过极低剂量并经由远端作用途径来实现。因此，我们重新研究了BoNT的作用，此次是将微量BoNT注射到大腿外侧的股外侧肌中，并分析了衰老实验小鼠的睾丸组织学参数、关键抗氧化剂水平和精子参数。
注射1 U/kg体重BoNT的实验动物表现出精子发生增强，同时睾丸中关键抗氧化剂的活性增加，导致总精子数量和进行性运动能力增强。
本研究表明，低剂量肌肉注射BoNT可被视为一种有效的治疗策略，用于管理和预防男性不育症。
