Testicular gametogenic and steroidogenic activities in cyclophosphamide treated rat: a correlative study with testicular oxidative stress.

TLDR: There is a correlation between testicular steroidogenic activities as well as spermatogenesis and testicular oxidative stress in cyclophosphamide treated rats, and results suggest that testosterone may be the key regulator for this correlation.

Abstract: The present work examined the changes in testicular activities in relation to testicular oxidative stress in cyclophosphamide as well as human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) co-treated cyclophosphamide treated Wistar strain rats. Testicular activities were evaluated by the quantification of spermatogenesis and by the measurement of steroidogenic key enzyme activities along with plasma levels of testosterone. Testicular oxidative stress in relation to cyclophosphamide treatment was monitored by the study of products of free radicals like conjugated dienes and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as the activity of testicular antioxidant enzymes like peroxidase and catalase. Cyclophosphamide treatment at the dose of 5 mg/kg body weight/day for 28 days resulted a significant diminution in the activities of testicular Δ5, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ5, 3β-HSD), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activities, plasma level of testosterone along with significant reduction in the number of germ cells...