Oxidative stress in testicular tissues of rats exposed to cigarette smoke and protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester.
OBJECTIVE
To show the oxidative stress after cigarette smoke exposure in rat testis and to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE).


METHODS
Twenty-one rats were divided into three groups of seven. Animals in Group I were used as control. Rats in Group II were exposed to cigarette smoke only (4 x 30 min/d) and rats in Group III were exposed to cigarette smoke and received daily intraperitoneal injections of CAPE (10 micromol/kg x d). After 60 days all the rats were killed and the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and anti-oxidant enzymes such as superoxide-dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of malondialdehyde were studied in the testicular tissues of rats with spectrophotometric analysis.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase in catalase and superoxide-dismutase activities in Group II when compared to the controls, but the levels of both decreased after CAPE administration in Group III. GSH-Px activity was decreased in Group II but CAPE caused an elevation in GSH-Px activity in Group III. The difference between the levels of GSH-Px in Group I and Group II was significant, but the difference between groups II and III was not significant. Elevation of malondialdehyde after smoke exposure was significant and CAPE caused a decrease to a level which was not statistically different to the control group. A significantly increased level of NO after exposure to smoke was reversed by CAPE administration and the difference between NO levels in groups I and III was statistically insignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to cigarette smoke causes changes in the oxidative enzyme levels in rat testis, but CAPE can reverse these harmful effects.
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey.
Hüseyin
H
Ozyurt
Hidir
H
Pekmez
Bekir Suha
BS
Parlaktas
Ilter
I
Kus
Birsen
B
Ozyurt
Mustafa
M
Sarsilmaz
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012907:Smoking; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D002109:Caffeic Acids; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C055494:caffeic acid phenethyl ester; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol