Oxidative stress has a critical role in the pathophysiology of several kidney diseases, and many complications of these diseases are mediated by oxidative stress, oxidative stress-related mediators, and inflammation. Several systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia; infection; antibiotics, chemotherapeutics, and radiocontrast agents; and environmental toxins, occupational chemicals, radiation, smoking, as well as alcohol consumption induce oxidative stress in kidney. We searched the literature using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google scholar with “oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, oxygen free radicals, kidney, renal injury, nephropathy, nephrotoxicity, and induction”. The literature search included only articles written in English language. Letters or case reports were excluded. Scientific relevance, for clinical studies target populations, and study design, for basic science studies full coverage of main topics, are eligibility criteria for articles used in this paper.

/pdf/induction-of-oxidative-stress-in-kidney-35f9yofxyd.pdf

Induction of oxidative stress in kidney.

In this study, the toxic effect of cyclophosphamide (CP) on sperm morphology, testicular histology and blood oxidant-antioxidant balance, and protective roles of lycopene (LC) and ellagic acid (EA) were investigated. For this purpose, 48 healthy, adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups; eight animals in each group. The control group was treated with placebo. LC, EA and CP groups were given alone LC (10 mg/kg/every other day), EA (2 mg/kg/every other day) and CP (15 mg/kg/week) respectively. One of the last two groups received CP + LC, and the other treated with CP + EA. All treatments were maintained for 8 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, morphological abnormalities of sperm, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and glutathione (GSH) levels, and GSH-peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in erythrocytes, and testicular histopathological changes were examined. CP administration caused statistically significant increases in tail and total abnormality of sperm, plasma MDA level and erythrocyte SOD activity, and decreases in erythrocyte CAT activity, diameters of seminiferous tubules, germinal cell layer thickness and Johnsen's Testicular Score along with degeneration, necrosis, immature germ cells, congestion and atrophy in testicular tissue. However, LC or EA treatments to CP-treated rats markedly improved the CP-induced lipid peroxidation, and normalized sperm morphology and testicular histopathology. In conclusion, CP-induced lipid peroxidation leads to the structural damages in spermatozoa and testicular tissue of rats, and also LC or EA have a protective effect on these types of damage.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1742-7843.2010.00571.x

Toxic effect of cyclophosphamide on sperm morphology, testicular histology and blood oxidant-antioxidant balance, and protective roles of lycopene and ellagic acid.

Fibrosis is a common occurrence following organ injury and failure. To date, there is no effective treatment for this condition. Melatonin targets numerous molecular pathways, a consequence of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that reduce excessive fibrosis. Herein, we review the multiple protective effects of melatonin against fibrosis. There exist four major phases of the fibrogenic response including primary injury to the organ, activation of effector cells, the elaboration of extracellular matrix (ECM) and dynamic deposition. Melatonin regulates each of these phases. Additionally, melatonin reduces fibrosis levels in numerous organs. Melatonin exhibits its anti-fibrosis effects in heart, liver, lung, kidney, and other organs. In addition, adhesions which occur following surgical procedures are also inhibited by melatonin. The information reviewed here should be significant to understanding the protective role of melatonin against fibrosis, contribute to the design of further experimental studies related to melatonin and the fibrotic response and shed light on a potential treatment for fibrosis.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jpi.12302

Melatonin: the dawning of a treatment for fibrosis?

The present study evaluated the efficacy of melatonin in cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular injury, lipid peroxidative damage, and antioxidant enzymes status of the mice testis on the basis of biochemical and histological studies. Mice were pretreated with four different doses of melatonin (2.5, 5, 10, and, 20 mg/kg by body weight (b.w.)) via intraperitoneal injection for five consecutive days followed by injection with CP (200 mg/kg b.w.) 1 h after the last injection of melatonin on the 5th day. After 24 h, mice were euthanized, testes were immediately removed, and biochemical and histological studies were conducted. Treatment with melatonin significantly mitigates lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity and the level of reduced glutathione content abnormality induced by CP in mice testis. Histological examination clearly demonstrates that pretreatment of melatonin prevented CP-induced spermatogenesis toxicity and spermatogenic cells reduction in mice testis. The protective effect of melatonin is likely due to the antioxidative properties of the indolamine existed in the chemical structure. Because melatonin is a safe, natural compound, it could be used concomitantly as a supplement to protect people undergoing chemotherapy against reproductive toxicity.

Melatonin ameliorates oxidative stress and reproductive toxicity induced by cyclophosphamide in male mice.

The present study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of lycopene (LC) and ellagic acid (EA) on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular and spermatozoal toxicity associated with the oxidative stress and apoptosis in male rats. Forty-eight healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups of eight rats each. The control group was treated with placebo; the LC, EA and CP groups were given LC (10 mg kg–1), EA (2 mg kg–1) and CP (15 mg kg–1), respectively, alone; the CP+LC group was treated with a combination of CP (15 mg kg–1) and LC (10 mg kg–1); and the CP+EA group was treated with a combination of CP (15 mg kg–1) and EA (2 mg kg–1). All treatments were maintained for 8 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, bodyweight and the weight of the reproductive organs, sperm concentration and motility, testicular tissue lipid peroxidation, anti-oxidant enzyme activity and apoptosis (i.e. Bax and Bcl-2 proteins) were determined. Administration of CP resulted in significant decreases in epididymal sperm concentration and motility and significant increases in malondialdehyde levels. Although CP significantly increased the number of Bax-positive (apoptotic) cells, it had no effect on the number of Bcl-2-positive (anti-apoptotic) cells compared with the control group. However, combined treatment of rats with LC or EA in addition to CP prevented the development of CP-induced lipid peroxidation and sperm and testicular damage. In conclusion, CP-induced lipid peroxidation leads to structural and functional damage, as well as apoptosis, in spermatogenic cells of rats. Both LC and EA protect against the development of these detrimental effects.

/pdf/antiperoxidative-and-anti-apoptotic-effects-of-lycopene-and-2xjeyi9uaa.pdf

Antiperoxidative and anti-apoptotic effects of lycopene and ellagic acid on cyclophosphamide-induced testicular lipid peroxidation and apoptosis.

https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(08)03281-0/pdf

Potential chemoprotective effect of melatonin in cyclophosphamide- and cisplatin-induced testicular damage in rats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor-kappaB inhibitor (NF-kappaB) expression and the potential chemoprotective effects of an NF-kappaB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), against cisplatin-induced testicular damage in rats. Rats were divided into 4 equal groups: group 1, control; group 2, injected with cisplatin (CIS) for 5 days (7 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally [IP]); group 3, injected with PDTC alone; group 4, injected with CIS plus PDTC (100 mg/kg IP). Body and testicular weights, plasma testosterone levels, and histopathologic structure of the testicular tissue were determined. The iNOS and NF-kappaB activity were evaluated immunohistochemically by staining p65 to define NF-kappaB activity. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were assessed in testicular tissue. Body and testicular weights, plasma testosterone levels, activity of GSH-Px, and GSH levels were all significantly decreased, whereas the levels of MDA and NO were significantly increased in rats of the CIS group. PDTC treatment increased plasma testosterone levels. A significant increase in GSH levels and GSH-Px activity and a decrease in MDA and NO levels in testicular tissue were observed in the CIS + PDTC group. Immunohistochemically, there was a marked staining for iNOS and NF-kappaB/p65 expression in rats injected with CIS compared with the control (P < .001). CIS caused irregular seminiferous tubules, reduction of seminiferous epithelial layers, significant arrest of maturation, and perivascular fibrosis. Moreover, PDTC administration to CIS-treated rats significantly prevented these histopathologic chances, as well. CIS induces iNOS expression through activation of NF-kappaB/p65, and CIS-induced testicular toxicity may be prevented by PDTC, which is a selective NF-kappaB inhibitor.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2164/jandrol.108.006270

Chemoprotective Effect of a Nuclear Factor-κB Inhibitor, Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate, Against Cisplatin-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats

Nephrotoxicity is a major complication of acetaminophen (APAP), a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug, and there is no specific treatment for APAP-induced renal damage. It has been reported that reactive oxygen metabolites or free radicals are important mediators of APAP toxicity. In this study, the protective role of melatonin (MLT) on APAP-induced nephrotoxicity was investigated in rats. For this purpose, nephrotoxicity was induced in male Wistar albino rats by intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of a single dose of 1,000 mg/kg APAP. Some of these rats also received i.p. melatonin (10 mg/kg) 20 min after administration of APAP. The rats were sacrificed 24 h after administration of APAP. Urea and creatinine levels were measured in the blood, and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were determined in renal tissue. Serum urea and creatinine levels increased significantly as a result of APAP nephrotoxicity. A significant increase in MDA and decreases in GSH level and GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD activity indicated that APAP-induced renal damage was mediated through oxidative stress. Significant beneficial changes were noted in serum and tissue oxidative stress indicators in rats treated with MLT. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of kidney sections, which revealed that MLT also reduced the severity of APAP-induced histological alterations in the kidney. These results indicate that administration of APAP causes oxidative stress to renal tissue and that MLT protects against the oxidative damage associated with APAP.

Melatonin prevents acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor (NF-κB) expression and the potential chemoprotective effects of an NF-κB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), against cisplatin-induced testicular damage in rats. Rats were divided into 4 equal groups: group 1, control; group 2, injected with cisplatin (CIS) for 5 days (7 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally [IP]); group 3, injected with PDTC alone; group 4, injected with CIS plus PDTC (100 mg/kg IP). Body and testicular weights, plasma testosterone levels, and histopathologic structure of the testicular tissue were determined. The iNOS and NF-κB activity were evaluated immunohistochemically by staining p65 to define NF-κB activity. Malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were assessed in testicular tissue. Body and testicular weights, plasma testosterone levels, activity of GSH-Px, and GSH levels were all significantly decreased, whereas the levels of MDA and NO were significantly increased in rats of the CIS group. PDTC treatment increased plasma testosterone levels. A significant increase in GSH levels and GSH-Px activity and a decrease in MDA and NO levels in testicular tissue were observed in the CIS + PDTC group. Immunohistochemically, there was a marked staining for iNOS and NF-κB/p65 expression in rats injected with CIS compared with the control (P < .001). CIS caused irregular seminiferous tubules, reduction of seminiferous epithelial layers, significant arrest of maturation, and perivascular fibrosis. Moreover, PDTC administration to CIS-treated rats significantly prevented these histopathologic chances, as well. CIS induces iNOS expression through activation of NF-κB/p65, and CIS-induced testicular toxicity may be prevented by PDTC, which is a selective NF-κB inhibitor.

Adnan Somay

Papers

Potential chemoprotective effect of melatonin in cyclophosphamide- and cisplatin-induced testicular damage in rats.

Chemoprotective Effect of a Nuclear Factor-κB Inhibitor, Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate, Against Cisplatin-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats

Melatonin prevents acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Chemoprotective Effect of a Nuclear Factor-κB Inhibitor, Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate, Against Cisplatin-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats

Scientific Program for 30th World Congress of Endourology & SWL