Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

We have addressed in the current study the potential role of either Lcarnitine (LC) or MSCs to extenuate the reproductive toxic insults of carbendazim (CBZ) in Swiss albino male rats as well as the molecular mechanisms whereby these interventions would modify the spermatogenic and steroidogenic derangements invoked by the endocrine disruptor. Herein, animals received subchronic daily doses of carbendazim (100 mg/kg) by gavage for 8 weeks. CBZ-challenged animals were co-supplemented with LC (500 mg/kg, IP) twice weekly for 8 weeks or MSCs (3 x 106 cells (IV) in 0.1 ml phosphate buffer saline) once two weeks before the end of the experiment. Sperm quantity and quality (morphology, motility and viability), serum testosterone and gonadotropins, inhibin B and thyroid hormone levels were assessed. Serum tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-Ü), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations were determined by ELISA. Oxidant/anti-oxidant status in rat testis was investigated via measuring testicular contents of malonedialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Immunohistochemical localizations of the junctional protein; occludin, and inflammatory markers; inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF- {uF06B}B) were further analyzed

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