Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ameliorates testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury through the induction of Nrf2 and inhibition of NF-κB in rats

Exp Mol Pathol. 2017 Aug;103(1):44-50. doi: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2017.06.005. Epub 2017 Jun 24.

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.

Methods: A total of 24 rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: Group A (Control group, n=8), Group B (I/R group, n=8), Group C (I/R group treated with n-3 PUFAs, n=8). Histological examination was used to assess changes in testicular structure. Tissue oxidative stress biomarkers, malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as Superoxide, and antioxidant indexes, including total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC); catalase (CAT); glutathione (GSH); glutathione/glutathione disulfide ratio (GSH/GSSG); superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined. In addition, nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Nrf2-dependent antioxidant enzymes, such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NADPH quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were detected.

Results: Compared to I/R group, n-3 PUFAs could obviously increase the mean seminiferous tubular diameter in the histological examination. After n-3 PUFAs treatment, the level of tissue MDA and Superoxide were significantly decreased, while tissue T-AOC, CAT, GSH, GSH/GSSG and SOD levels were significantly increased, compared to I/R group (P<0.05). Besides, the expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 were significantly higher and the NF-κB expression level was significantly lower in the n-3 PUFAs treated group than that in I/R group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: These results provided evidences that n-3 PUFAs ameliorated testes damage caused by testicular I/R injury through its antioxidative capacity and anti-inflammatory effects, involving the activation of Nrf2 and the inhibition of NF-κB.

Keywords: Ischemia and reperfusion injury; Nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; Oxidative stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / pharmacology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / genetics
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Malondialdehyde / blood
  • NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / genetics
  • NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / metabolism
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / genetics
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reperfusion Injury / drug therapy*
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Testis / drug effects*
  • Testis / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • NF-kappa B
  • Nfe2l2 protein, rat
  • Malondialdehyde
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)
  • NQO1 protein, rat
  • Glutathione