Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2025
Author Spotlight: In Vivo Assessment of Thyroid Hormone Disruption Using the THAI Mouse Model
Published on: October 6, 2023
Cholecalciferol alleviates testicular dysfunction in experimental hyperthyroidism via antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
Heba Rady Salem1, Hend Ahmed Kasem2
1Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shebin El-kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt.
Background:
This study aimed to investigate the possible protective effect of cholecalciferol against testicular dysfunction in L-thyroxine-induced hyperthyroid rat model.
Methods:
Twenty-four adult male rats were divided into three groups: control, hyperthyroid, and hyperthyroid cholecalciferol treated. At the end of four weeks, serum samples were collected for measurement of thyroid hormones, testosterone, and serum inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha). Thereafter, malondialdehyde and antioxidant enzymes were assessed in the testicular homogenate. Also, histological and immunohistochemical studies of the testicular tissues were done.
Results:
The current results showed lower serum testosterone and testes weight in hyperthyroid rats than control group, with significantly elevated serum inflammatory markers, and disturbed oxidant/antioxidant status in the testicular tissues. This was associated with structural abnormalities. Immunohistochemical study showed upregulation of caspase-3 and downregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in hyperthyroid rats. Cholecalciferol supplementation significantly improved the testicular dysfunction and the testicular pathological features in the hyperthyroid rats. It significantly decreased the levels of serum inflammatory markers and malondialdehyde levels. Also, cholecalciferol supplementation increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes in the testicular tissue, downregulated caspase-3 and upregulated PCNA in the testicular tissues.
Conclusion:
Cholecalciferol could ameliorate pathophysiological changes in rat testes of hyperthyroid rats.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
01:18Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
00:51Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
01:20Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The...
01:21Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis
00:59The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by...