Author/Authors :
Hassanzadeh, Gholamreza Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Bazrafkan, Mahshid Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Nikmehr, Banafsheh Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Hassani, Fatemeh Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Poorhassan, Mahnaz Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Abolhassani, Farid Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Shahverdi, Abdolhossein Department of Embryology - Royan Institiute - Tehran, Iran , Hosseini, Reza Department of Urology - School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Mokhtari, Tahmineh Department of Anatomy - School of Medicine - Semnan University of Medical Sciences - Semnan, Iran , Choobineh, Hamid School of Allied Medical Sciences - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Beyer, Cordian Institute of Neuroanatomy - RWTH Aachen University - Aachen, Germany
Abstract :
The majority of male patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) suffer from infertility. Nucleotide-binding
oligomerization domain-like receptors NOD-like receptors (NLRs) are a kind of receptors that corporate in the
inflammasome complex. Recent studies have introduced the inflammasome as the responsible agent for secreting
cytokines in semen. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the elements that trigger inflammasome activation.
Genital infections in SCI can lead to ROS generation. We investigated the relation between lipid peroxidation and
inflammasome complex activity in testicular tissue of SCI rats. Methods: Adult male rats (n=20), weighting 200-
250 g, were included and divided into four groups: three experimental groups, including SCI1, SCI3, and SCI7,
i.e. the rats were subjected to SCI procedure and sacrificed after one, three, and seven days, respectively and a
control group. We performed a moderate, midline spinal contusion injury at thoracic level 10. The animals were
anesthetized, and testes were collected for measurement of gene expression by real-time PCR. Caudal parts of
epididymis were collected for malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement. Results: No NLRP1a mRNA overexpression
was seen in the testes of control and SCI groups. After seven days from SCI surgery, NLRP3 mRNA expression was
significantly increased in SCI7 animals (p ≤ 0.05). There was a significant difference in MDA level in SCI7 versus
control group, as well as SCI1 and SCI3 animals (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: NLRP3 overexpression occurs due to the
increased ROS production in testis tissue of SCI rats.
