Heat Killed Tsukamurella Inchonensis Improve Sperm Parameters in Mice by Reduction of Oxidative Stress in Epididymis

Background: The issue of male fertility and nutrition is a complicatedmatter but it has been shown that some nutrients andsupplements can improve male fertility. Some of aerobic Actinomycetalesspecies, including Tsukamurella inchonensis (TI)are capable of having beneficial effects on animal and humanhealth when used as suspensions of killed bacilli. The nutritionalbenefits of probiotics have been well documented, butstudies on the effect of them on sperm parameters and malefertility are lacking. This study was conducted to evaluate theeffects of heat killed preparation of TI on sperm quality andquantity parameters and its relation with the state of oxidativestress of epididymis.Materials and Methods: In this study, ۲۰ adult male micewere divided into ۴ groups include control, treatment۱, ۲ and۳. Control group received normal saline and treatment groupsreceived ۵×۱۰۷, ۱۰۸ and ۲×۱۰۸ CFU/day of T. inchonensis innormal saline by oral gavage for eight consecutive days, respectively.Finally animals were euthanized, and the epididymis wasremoved and dissected in Ham's F۱۰ solution and incubated at۳۷°C for sperm analysis. Total sperm count, sperm motility andviability were assessed according to the WHO standard methods.Epididymal tissue samples were homogenized with coldice ۱.۱۵% KCl to creat ۱۰% homogenate and stored at -۸۰ºCuntil its glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity(TAC) were measured. Finally, data were statistically analyzedby SPSS using one-way ANOVA test and Tukey's post-hoc(α=۰.۰۵).Results: Sperm analysis indicated that TI had no side effect onspermatogenesis and increased quality and quantity of spermin dose dependent manner. Results showed that changes in lowdose of TI were not significant compared to control group butpercentage of rapid progressive motile sperms was increasedsignificantly in mid (P<۰.۰۵) and high (P<۰.۰۱) doses of TIcompared to control groups. Our results indicated that highdose of TI increased sperm viability significantly compared tocontrol group (P<۰.۰۰۱). Analysis of oxidative stress indices revealedthat TI reduced level of MDA and increased GPx, SODand TAC level of epididymal tissue in a dose dependent mannerbut this changes was significantly only in high dose of TI comparedto control group (P<۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Based on our results it can be concluded that administrationof TI as a probiotic supplement or additive can beeffective and suitable way to increase male fertility by decreasingof oxidative stress in epididymal tissue and improve qualityand quantity parametes of sperm.

کلیدواژه ها:

Epididymis ، Oxidative Stress ، Probiotic ، Sperm ، Tsukamurella Inchonensis