The effects of diabetes mellitus, age, and vitamin E on testicular oxidative stress.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of age and/or diabetes on oxidative stress and steroidogenesis, and the protective effect of vitamin E in testis tissue.


METHODS
Controlled experimental study.


METHODS
Pamukkale University School of Medicine animal facility.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats divided into six groups with six animals in each group: young control; young diabetic; young diabetic with vitamin E treatment; aged control; aged diabetic; and aged diabetic with vitamin E treatment.


METHODS
Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin and was confirmed by testing blood glucose levels 5 to 7 days after injection. Vitamin E was administered orally for 6 weeks.


METHODS
Serum testosterone and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) levels were measured, and testis tissue was examined histopathologically.


RESULTS
Elevated malondialdehyde and reduced superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and serum testosterone levels were detected only in the young and aged-diabetic groups. Histopathologic change was not detected in the testis tissue in any of the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Age does not alter the effects of diabetes-induced free radical damage in testis tissue; improvement in this damage can be achieved by vitamin E treatment.
Aybek
Hülya
H
Department of Biochemistry, Medical School of Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. hulyaaybek2000@yahoo.com
Aybek
Zafer
Z
Rota
Simin
S
Sen
Nilay
N
Akbulut
Metin
M
D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D013311:Streptozocin; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014810:Vitamin E; D013311:Streptozocin