Department of Zoology, Dr Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad, (A Central University), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Am J Reprod Immunol. 2024 Feb;91(2):e13816. doi: 10.1111/aji.13816.
Reproductive performance of animals gets affected by nutritional restrictions which act as potential stressors leading to hormonal imbalance and testicular inflammation, the major causes of infertility. Withania somnifera (WS), well-known traditional medicinal plant, has been used as antistress and infertility treatment. Therefore, the present study looks into the ameliorative effects of WS on the reproductive and immune system of male Coturnix coturnix japonica in stressed conditions like water and food restriction focussing on the modulation in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα).
Biochemical estimations for oxidative stress, histological alterations, immuno-fluorescent localization of ERα, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in testicular cells were performed.
Nutritional restriction declines endogenous estradiol, ERα in testicular cells while it elevates corticosterone leading to oxidative stress in testis thereby reducing fertility by decrease in sperm. Results indicate significant reversal in all the parameters after the administration of WS by improving testicular cell morphology, increased superoxide and catalase activity thus reducing oxidative stress. WS increases spermatogenesis and enhances expression of ERα in testicular cells in quail. Further, WS increases IL-4, decreases IL-1β and IFN-γ expression in testis, thereby improving immune profile contrary to stressed conditions.
WS stimulates HPG-axis even after stress resulting in increased endogenous estradiol which stimulates the expression of ERα in testis; increases sperm count and immunity thereby improving the reproductive performance. WS may be the best therapy against nutritional-restriction stress induced reproductive toxicity by reducing oxidative stress mediated inflammatory response via increased testicular expression of ERα in quail.
动物的生殖性能受到营养限制的影响，这些限制是潜在的应激源，导致激素失衡和睾丸炎症，这是不育的主要原因。南非醉茄（WS）是一种众所周知的传统药用植物，已被用作抗应激和治疗不育症的药物。因此，本研究着眼于 WS 对水和食物限制等应激条件下雄性日本鹌鹑 Coturnix coturnix 生殖和免疫系统的改善作用，重点研究雌激素受体 alpha（ERα）的调节。
对睾丸细胞中的氧化应激、组织学改变、ERα、白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-4 和干扰素γ（IFN-γ）的免疫荧光定位进行生化评估。
营养限制会降低睾丸细胞内的内源性雌二醇和 ERα，同时升高皮质酮，导致睾丸内氧化应激，从而通过减少精子降低生育能力。结果表明，WS 给药后，所有参数均显著逆转，改善睾丸细胞形态，增加超氧化物和过氧化氢酶活性，从而减轻氧化应激。WS 增加鹌鹑睾丸中的精子发生，并增强睾丸细胞中 ERα 的表达。此外，WS 增加了睾丸中 IL-4 的表达，降低了 IL-1β和 IFN-γ的表达，从而改善了免疫状况，与应激条件相反。
WS 即使在应激后也能刺激 HPG 轴，导致内源性雌二醇增加，从而刺激睾丸中 ERα 的表达；增加精子数量和免疫力，从而提高生殖性能。WS 可能是通过增加睾丸中 ERα 的表达来减少氧化应激介导的炎症反应，从而对抗营养限制应激引起的生殖毒性的最佳疗法。
