The effect of melatonin on testis histological changes and spermatogenesis indexes in mice following treatment with dexamethasone

Abstract

Dexamethasone is a common medicine that is capable of causing malformation in the male reproductive system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on testis histological changes and Spermatogenesis indexes in adult mice following treatment with dexamethasone. Adult male NMRI mice were divided randomly into four groups: control, dexamethasone (i.p injections, 7 mg/kg/day), dexamethasone + melatonin and melatonin (i.p injections, 20 mg/kg/day). After 7 days of treatment, the right testes were studied stereologically and the left testes were used to measure the daily sperm production (DSP). The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), testosterone and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were also measured. The left caudal epididymis was used to analyze sperm parameters. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA and means were considered significantly different at p < 0.05. A significant decrease in the testis volume, seminiferous tubules volume, the number of spermatocytes, round and long spermatids, Spermatogenesis indexes, sperm parameters such as motility, count, viability, tail length and DSP, serum testosterone level, TAC and the body weight was found in the dexamethasone group compared to the control. Meanwhile a significant swelling of the interstitial tissue and a significant increase in the MDA level was found in the dexamethasone group compared to the control. The above parameters reached the control level in the dexamethasone + melatonin group. Melatonin can compensate for the adverse effects of dexamethasone on sperm parameters and the histology of the seminiferous tubules in mice.

Keywords:

• Stereology
• melatonin
• dexamethasone
• spermatogenesis indexes
• daily sperm production
• mice

Acknowledgements

This article has been extracted from the thesis by Miss Mina Azizi for obtaining a Master’s degree in Cell and Developmental Biology from the Faculty of Sciences of Arak University. The authors wish to thank Ms. Naderi and Eskandari for their technical assistance.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported financially by the vice chancellor of research of Arak University.