A new bioluminescent imaging technology for studying oxidative stress in the testis and its impacts on fertility

Ameliorative Effect of Crocin on Sperm Parameters and In Vitro Fertilization in Mice under Oxidative Stress Induced by Paraquat

Background

Paraquat (PQ) is an herbicide that is genotoxic and cytotoxic for male germ cells. In this study, we investigated the protective role of crocin (Cr) against the destructive effects of PQ on sperm quality and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.

Materials and Methods

In this experimental study, a total of 28 male mice (20-25 g) were divided into four groups: control, which received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of 0.1 ml normal saline per day; PQ group received IP injections of PQ (5 mg/kg/day); experimental (PQ+Cr group) received PQ along with IP injections of Cr (200 mg/kg/day); and positive control (Cr) received IP injections of Cr (200 mg/kg/day). In the last two weeks of the treatment period (35 days of treatment), 16 non-pregnant mice were stimulated to receive adult oocytes. At the end of the treatment period, after euthanizing the mice, the sperms were extracted from the epididymis of each mouse and prepared for evaluation of sperm parameters and IVF.

Results

In the PQ+Cr group, Cr caused a significant increase in the average number of sperms and the mean percent- age of motile and viable sperms. There was a significant decrease in the mean number of immature and DNA-damaged sperms compared to the PQ group (P<0.001). IVF evaluation in the PQ+Cr group showed that the mean percentage of fertilization, two- and four-cell embryos, blastocysts, and hatched embryos significantly increased. Cr caused a significant decrease in the mean percentage of the arrested embryos compared to the PQ group (P<0.001). However, the Cr group did not have any toxic effects on sperm quality or IVF results.

Conclusion

The findings of this study showed that Cr, due to its effective and potent antioxidant properties, could reduce or suppress the destructive effects on sperm parameters and IVF caused by PQ.

Non-invasive Bioluminescence Monitoring of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy in an HCR Mouse Model

Animal models play crucial roles in the development of anticancer therapeutics. The ability to quickly assess the localized primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) status in a non-invasive manner would significantly improve the effectiveness of anti-HCC therapeutic studies. However, to date, animal models with this advantage are extremely scarce. In this study, we developed a novel animal model for the fast assessment of drug efficacy against primary HCC in vivo. HCC was induced in immunocompetent hepatocarcinogenesis reporter (HCR) mice by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) injection and confirmed by histopathological staining. Using the bioluminescence imaging (BLI) technique, HCC progression was longitudinally visualized and monitored in a non-invasive way. Tests of two clinical drugs showed that both sorafenib and oxaliplatin significantly inhibited the BLI signal in mouse liver in a dose-dependent manner. The in vivo intensity of BLI signals was highly consistent with the final tumor burden status in mouse liver after drug treatment. The inhibitory effect of anti-HCC drugs was accurately evaluated through in vivo BLI intensity detection. Our study successfully established a bioluminescence mouse model for non-invasive real-time monitoring of HCC therapy, and this HCR mouse model would be a useful tool for potential anti-HCC drug screening and new therapeutic strategy development.