Amelioration effects of vitamin e, melatonin, l-carnitine, and atorvastatin, on destructive effects of busulfan in the testes of male rats: a gene expression evaluation

Abstract

According to toxicity of various types of cancer treatments on different kind of cells with high division activities such as germ cells, antioxidants may protect these cells in testes against the toxic effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs. For this purpose, 24 h after busulfan treatment, 30 adult male wistar-rats were divided to six groups. Intra-peritoneally administrations of normal saline in control group and DMSO (as a busulfan solvent) in DMSO group were performed daily for 6 weeks beside the treatment contain vitamin E (Vit-E group), L-carnitine and melatonin (LM group), atorvastatin and melatonin (AM group), atorvastatin, L-carnitine, and melatonin (ALM group). After decapitation and removal of the testes, molecular evaluations were performed by the relative abundance measurement of DAZL, Bcl2, and Casp3 transcripts. The results of this study exhibited high level of expression of DAZL in Vit-E treated rats compared to control counterparts (P<0.01). The expression level of Bcl2 is significantly down-regulated in LM (P<0.008), and ALM groups (P<0.001), and the relative abundance of Casp3 transcripts was significantly lower in AM (P<0.001) and ALM (P<0.007) than that of control group. As well as, there was significant high expression of this gene in Vit E-treated rats compared to the rats of control group. In conclusion, busulfan destructive effects were moderated with Vit-E administration through regulation of the expression of DAZL. The other antioxidants used in different combinations had not amelioration effects on spermatogenesis in busulfan-induced male rats, though the positive effects of some of these antioxidants on apoptosis reduction.

Keywords

• rat
• busulfan
• vitamin e
• melatonin
• l-carnitine
• atorvastatin
• dazl
• bcl2
• casp3