Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 15;14(1):24132. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75177-8.
This study evaluates silver-doped carbon dots (AgCDs) as a novel agent for chemical castration using a rat model. Six groups of rats (five males and ten females each, except for the surgical group which had only males) were utilized to compare the effects of different concentrations of AgCDs. The groups included control, sham, and three experimental groups injected with 1.25, 50, and 200 µg/mL AgCDs, respectively, along with a surgical castration group. Testosterone levels, sperm parameters, fertility index, oxidative damage, histopathological parameters, and gene expression of P53, Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, AKT, and PI3K were analyzed. Results demonstrated that the high-dose AgCDs group significantly reduced testosterone levels, sperm concentration, and motility, resulting in a decreased fertility index. MDA and NO significantly increased, while CAT, SOD, GPx, and TAC significantly reduced in the chemically castrated groups. Histological and genes expression analysis also revealed apoptosis and testicular damage in the AgCDs groups, indicated by significant increases in P53, Bax, and Caspase-3 levels, and significant reductions in AKT, PI3K, and Bcl-2. Based on these findings, AgCDs could be considered a potent and efficient agent for chemical castration, offering a less invasive, cost-effective solution with potential applications for population control.
本研究评估了掺银碳点（AgCDs）作为一种新型化学去势剂在大鼠模型中的应用。使用了六组大鼠（每组五只雄性和十只雌性，手术组只有雄性）来比较不同浓度的 AgCDs 的效果。这些组包括对照组、假手术组和分别注射 1.25、50 和 200μg/mL AgCDs 的三个实验组，以及一个手术去势组。分析了睾酮水平、精子参数、生育指数、氧化损伤、组织病理学参数以及 P53、Bax、Bcl-2、caspase-3、AKT 和 PI3K 的基因表达。结果表明，高剂量 AgCDs 组显著降低了睾酮水平、精子浓度和活力，导致生育指数降低。MDA 和 NO 显著增加，而 CAT、SOD、GPx 和 TAC 在化学去势组中显著减少。组织学和基因表达分析还显示 AgCDs 组存在细胞凋亡和睾丸损伤，表现为 P53、Bax 和 Caspase-3 水平显著升高，AKT、PI3K 和 Bcl-2 水平显著降低。基于这些发现，AgCDs 可以被认为是一种有效的化学去势剂，具有潜在的应用于人口控制的优势，如非侵入性、成本效益高。
