Research Article

Effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on serum testosterone level and sperm vitality in mature rats

Abdellah Hassana, Mohammed Youssef, Atef M. Khalil, Hassan Ahmed b,*
a Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, 81528, Egypt b Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt c Department of Pathology and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt.

Abstract

In the last decades, the light had been shed on the importance of male reproduction and how to protect it from disease conditions and inflammation which may cause infertility. Accordingly, the mechanism underlying inflammation-mediated infertility must be well clarified. In the present study, an experimental model of acute inflammation in mature male albino rats was established by intraperitoneal (ip) injection of a single dose of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Consequently, basic reproductive parameters were estimated after LPS administration. Blood samples were collected and assayed for serum testosterone levels. Semen was also analyzed for live sperm percent. Testes were removed for histopathological evaluation. The findings revealed that testosterone level in LPS-treated rats decreased significantly (P<0.05) compared to control rats at 6 and 12 hrs after injection. Meanwhile, serum testosterone recovered 72 hrs after injection. Moreover, live sperm percent decreased drastically in LPS-treated rats (P<0.001) compared with control rats at 6 and 12 hrs after LPS injection. Adverse effects of LPS on sperm vitality at 72 hrs after LPS injection were also found. Microscopic examination revealed that degenerative changes were observed in LPS-treated rats at 6 and 12 hrs. Most of histopathological findings returned to normal structure in LPS-treated rats at 72 hrs.

Keywords

Lipopolysaccharides, testosterone, rats, semen, vitality, inflammation