Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice
Background Toxic effects of anti-cancer and other drugs on the normal tissues could be reduced by the herbal plants and their fractions. This study investigated the protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) as a fraction of Nigella sativa on methotrexate (MTX)- induced germ cell apoptosis in male mice....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Royan Institute (ACECR), Tehran
2016-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Fertility and Sterility |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ijfs.ir/article_45347_1402297bf767a09879c6f360e456b36a.pdf |
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| author | Fatemeh Sheikhbahaei Mozafar Khazaei Arezou Rabzia Kamran Mansouri Ali Ghanbari |
| author_facet | Fatemeh Sheikhbahaei Mozafar Khazaei Arezou Rabzia Kamran Mansouri Ali Ghanbari |
| author_sort | Fatemeh Sheikhbahaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Toxic effects of anti-cancer and other drugs on the normal tissues could be reduced by the herbal plants and their fractions. This study investigated the protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) as a fraction of Nigella sativa on methotrexate (MTX)- induced germ cell apoptosis in male mice. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, thirty male Balb/c mice were divided randomly into 5 groups (n=6). A single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg) and different concentrations of TQ were administrated for 4 consecutive days. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed on paraffin embedded tissue sections to analysis the occurrence of apoptosis in the testis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of apoptosis-related genes was performed with RNA extracted from testes of the mice. Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA. Results In the MTX group, there was a significant increase in morphologic sign of germ cell degeneration of tubules (48 ± 0.6%), apoptotic index (AI; 2.3 ± 0.6%), as well as mRNA expression of p53 (P=0.008), caspase 8 (P=0.002), caspase 3 (P=0.005), caspase 9 (P=0.000), bax (P=0.004) and the ratio of bax/bcl-2 (P=0.000), whereas there was an decrease in the expression of bcl-2 (P=0.003), as compared to control group. In MTX+TQ groups, the data showed that different concentrations of TQ could improve the harmful effects caused by the MTX. The best protective effects were achieved in MTX+TQ (10 mg/kg). Conclusion TQ protects testicular germ cell against MTX-induced apoptosis by affecting related genes regulation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:27:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b9056428a384782bdeeb328156f9f61 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2008-076X 2008-0778 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:27:13Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Royan Institute (ACECR), Tehran |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Fertility and Sterility |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b9056428a384782bdeeb328156f9f612022-12-21T17:58:34ZengRoyan Institute (ACECR), TehranInternational Journal of Fertility and Sterility2008-076X2008-07782016-01-019454154710.22074/ijfs.2016.461445347Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male MiceFatemeh Sheikhbahaei0Mozafar Khazaei1Arezou Rabzia2Kamran Mansouri3Ali Ghanbari4Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranFertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranFertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranMedical Biology Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranFertility and Infertility Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranBackground Toxic effects of anti-cancer and other drugs on the normal tissues could be reduced by the herbal plants and their fractions. This study investigated the protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) as a fraction of Nigella sativa on methotrexate (MTX)- induced germ cell apoptosis in male mice. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, thirty male Balb/c mice were divided randomly into 5 groups (n=6). A single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg) and different concentrations of TQ were administrated for 4 consecutive days. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed on paraffin embedded tissue sections to analysis the occurrence of apoptosis in the testis. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of apoptosis-related genes was performed with RNA extracted from testes of the mice. Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA. Results In the MTX group, there was a significant increase in morphologic sign of germ cell degeneration of tubules (48 ± 0.6%), apoptotic index (AI; 2.3 ± 0.6%), as well as mRNA expression of p53 (P=0.008), caspase 8 (P=0.002), caspase 3 (P=0.005), caspase 9 (P=0.000), bax (P=0.004) and the ratio of bax/bcl-2 (P=0.000), whereas there was an decrease in the expression of bcl-2 (P=0.003), as compared to control group. In MTX+TQ groups, the data showed that different concentrations of TQ could improve the harmful effects caused by the MTX. The best protective effects were achieved in MTX+TQ (10 mg/kg). Conclusion TQ protects testicular germ cell against MTX-induced apoptosis by affecting related genes regulation.http://www.ijfs.ir/article_45347_1402297bf767a09879c6f360e456b36a.pdfapoptosismethotrexatethymoquinonemicegerm cells |
| spellingShingle | Fatemeh Sheikhbahaei Mozafar Khazaei Arezou Rabzia Kamran Mansouri Ali Ghanbari Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice International Journal of Fertility and Sterility apoptosis methotrexate thymoquinone mice germ cells |
| title | Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice |
| title_full | Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice |
| title_fullStr | Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice |
| title_short | Protective Effects of Thymoquinone against Methotrexate-Induced Germ Cell Apoptosis in Male Mice |
| title_sort | protective effects of thymoquinone against methotrexate induced germ cell apoptosis in male mice |
| topic | apoptosis methotrexate thymoquinone mice germ cells |
| url | http://www.ijfs.ir/article_45347_1402297bf767a09879c6f360e456b36a.pdf |
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