title: Molecular basis for the effects of zinc deficiency on spermatogenesis: An experimental study in the Sprague-dawley rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study is to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of zinc deficiency on spermatogenesis in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of eight adult male SD rats were maintained for 4 weeks on a normal diet as control, zinc deficient diet and zinc deficient diet with zinc supplementation of 28 mg zinc/kg body weight respectively. Using standard techniques, the following parameters were compared between the three groups of experimental animals at the end of 4 weeks: (a) Serum zinc, magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd), (b) serum sex hormones, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), (c) interleukin-4 (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3 expression in the testes, (d) assessment of apoptosis of testicular cells using electron microscopy and (e) testicular volume and histology using the orchidometer and Johnsen score, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The zinc deficient group showed a reduction of testicular volume, serum concentrations of Zn, Cu, Se, Mg, SOD, GPX, IL-4, Bcl-2 and testosterone (P < 0.05), as well as increased levels of serum Cd, MDA and tissue TNF-α, Bax, caspase-3 and apoptosis of the germ cells (P < 0.05) compared with control and zinc supplementation groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zinc deficiency is associated with impaired spermatogenesis because of reduced testosterone production, increased oxidative stress and apoptosis. These findings suggest that zinc has a role in male reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Omu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Majedah K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Al-Azemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy (Electron Microscopy Unit), Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Maghrebi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy (Electron Microscopy Unit), Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Chacko T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, PAAET, Ministry of Health, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Florence E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Omu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Elijah O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Kehinde
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Jehoram T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Anim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Mabayoje A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oriowo
authors.affiliation: Division of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Sussex, BN1 9PX, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anjum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Memon
keywords: Apoptosis; oxidative stress; sex hormones; spermatogenesis; zinc