The effects of diabetes mellitus, age, and vitamin E on testicular oxidative stress

Abstract

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. Design: Controlled experimental study. Setting: Pamukkale University School of Medicine animal facility. Animal(s): 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. Intervention(s): 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. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum testosterone and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) levels were measured, and testis tissue was examined histopathologically. Result(s): 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. Conclusion(s): 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. © 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine.