Chinese Journal of Clinical Anatomy ›› 2020, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (3): 283-288.doi: 10.13418/j.issn.1001-165x.2020.03.009

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Protective effects of L-carnitine on testicular injury induced by cyclophosphamide in rats through β-catenin signaling

ZENG Peng1,QI Rui1,WANG Jin1,SUN Xiao1,DAI You-guo2,ZHANG Peng-fei1,YANG Li1,GUO Ze-yun1   

  1. 1.Department of Human Anatomy and Histology and Embryology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China;  2.College of Clinical Oncology, Kunming Medical University, Kuming 650500, China
  • Received:2019-05-29 Online:2020-05-25 Published:2020-06-02

Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effects and possible mechanisms of L-carnitine (LC) on cyclophosphamide (CP) induced testicular injury in rats. Methods Eighteen male rats were randomly divided into three groups and received intraperitoneal injection of appropriate drug(a Normal saline group, a CP group, a CP+LC group).  General conditions, weight and testicular weight of rats were recorded. The testicular injury condition was detected by HE staining, and the expression of β-catenin in testis was detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results The testicular weight in the CP group was lower than that of the NS group(P<0.05). While the testicular weight recovered in the CP+LC group(P<0.05). HE staining result showed that the number of spermatogenic cell layers in CP group decreased significantly than that of the NS group(P<0.05), but the number of spermatogenic cell layers of the CP+LC group was higher than that of the CP group(P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot result showed that the expression of β-catenin in the CP group was higher than that of the NS group(P<0.05)while the expression of β-catenin in the CP+LC group was lower than that of the CP group(P<0.05).    Conclusions    L-carnitine can protect testicular injury in rats which induced by Cyclophosphamide through down-regulated β-catenin signaling, which makes a potential therapeutic significance for male fertility disorder caused by antitumor drugs.

Key words:  , L-carnitine,  Cyclophosphamide,  Testis,  β-catenin

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