Beneficial effects of pentoxifylline on spermatogenesis and germ cell apoptosis in stallions subjected to scrotal heat stress.
Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of oral pentoxifylline on testicular biometry, histology, and gene expression in stallions subjected to scrotal heat stress. Fourteen stallions were divided into three groups: Control (CRL, n = 4), Testicular Degeneration (DEG, n = 5), and Testicular Degeneration Treated with Pentoxifylline (DEG + PTX, n = 5). Testicular degeneration was induced by scrotal insulation, twice daily, over two consecutive days (D-1 and D0). Starting the next day (D1), oral pentoxifylline (17 mg/kg) was administered every 12 h for 30 days. Testicular biometry was measured using a caliper from D-5 to D60. On days 30 and 60, testicular biopsies were collected for histopathology and gene expression analysis of BAX, CASP8, CASP9, FAS, HSF1, and PTGS2 using RT-qPCR. Pentoxifylline reduced histological damage, with the DEG + PTX group showing less pronounced basal lamina undulation and seminiferous tubule atrophy compared to the DEG group. However, it did not fully prevent lesions like germ cell vacuolization, which was reflected macroscopically by a reduction in testicular volume in both degenerated groups. The protective effects of pentoxifylline on testicular tissue can be attributed to its ability to reduce BAX expression, prevent CASP8 and CASP9 activation, and promote cellular protective mechanisms through HSF1 activation at D30. These results highlight pentoxifylline's potential as a therapeutic agent for equine testicular damage due to scrotal heat stress, suggesting the need for further research on optimal dosage and treatment duration.
Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2024-11-16 PubMed ID: 39577270DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.004Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Cite This Article
APA
Sancler-Silva YFR, Papa FO, Esteller-Vico A, Silva-Junior E, Oliveira TES, El-Sheikh Ali H, Boakari YL, Freitas MSE, Ball BA.
(2024).
Beneficial effects of pentoxifylline on spermatogenesis and germ cell apoptosis in stallions subjected to scrotal heat stress.
Theriogenology, 233, 32-41.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.11.004 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Viçosa, UFV, Viçosa, MG, Brazil; Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, UK, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: yame@ufv.br.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, UK, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil; School of Veterinary Medicine, FMVA, Sao Paulo State University, UNESP, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil.
- Londrina State University, Department of Pathological Sciences, UEL, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, UK, Lexington, KY, USA; Theriogenology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, DK, Egypt.
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, UK, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Viçosa, UFV, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, UK, Lexington, KY, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Pentoxifylline / pharmacology
- Male
- Horses
- Apoptosis / drug effects
- Spermatogenesis / drug effects
- Testis / drug effects
- Scrotum / drug effects
- Heat-Shock Response / drug effects
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. All co-authors have seen and agree with the contents of the manuscript, and there are no conflicts of interest to report.
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