Green tea extracts attenuate doxorubicin-induced spermatogenic disorders in conjunction with higher telomerase activity in mice.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of green tea extracts against doxorubicin-induced damage in the mouse testes correlating with telomerase activity.


METHODS
Green tea extracts were administered orally. Doxorubicin was coadministered intraperitoneally. These testes were evaluated histologically and the telomerase activity was analyzed. Additional immunostaining was carried out.


RESULTS
Both the sperm density and sperm motility were significantly increased in green tea extracts coadministration groups as compared to the doxorubicin-treated groups. By histological analysis, germ cell damage was greatly attenuated by green tea extracts coadministration. Telomerase activity significantly increased in association with the coadministration of green tea extracts as compared to that of doxorubicin-only groups. In all groups, human telomerase reverse transcriptase signals were mainly observed in the spermatocytes and spermatids.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that green tea extracts exert protective effects against doxorubicin-induced spermatogenic disorders in conjunction with higher telomerase activity levels.
Sato
Kenji
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0016, Japan.
Sueoka
Kou
K
Tanigaki
Reiko
R
Tajima
Hiroto
H
Nakabayashi
Akira
A
Yoshimura
Yasunori
Y
Hosoi
Yoshihiko
Y
D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000633:toxicity*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009929:Organ Size; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D013662:Tea; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D013662:Tea; D004317:Doxorubicin; D019098:Telomerase