The relationship between acetyl L-carnitine administration and endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in the testicular tissue of rats exposed to chronic ethanol

Objective: In our study, the effects of acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) administration on chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure were examined in rat testicular tissues, focusing on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), steroidogenesis pathways, apoptotic markers, serum LH, FSH, and testosterone levels, and oxidative stress. Method: Experimental groups were designed as control, EtOH, ALCAR and EtOH+ALCAR (n=10). Rat testicular weight index, epididymal sperm motility, and testicular histopathology were evaluated, ERS (GRP78, CHOP, XBP1), steroidogenesis (StAR, 17β-HSD3, 3β-HSD, p450scc), and apoptosis markers were examined with immunohistochemistry and western blot. Serum LH, FSH, and testosterone levels were investigated with ELISA, and oxidative stress index was determined. Results: Sperm motility and modified Johnsen scoring evaluations were at low levels in the EtOH group (p<0.001) and were similar to the control in the EtOH+ALKAR group. In the EtOH group, GRP78 and CHOP expression significantly increased (p<0.05), while in the EtOH+ALKAR group, the expression was similar to the control. XBP1 expression showed an increase in the EtOH group in western blot analyses (p<0.0001). p450scc (p<0.001), 3β-HSD (p<0.05), 17β-HSD3 (p<0.05), and StAR (p<0.01) protein expressions decreased in the EtOH group, whereas p450scc, 3β-HSD, and 17β-HSD3 expressions were increased in the EtOH+ALKAR group (p<0.05). Active caspase-3 (p<0.001) and TUNEL (p<0.05) evaluations increased in the EtOH group. Serum LH (p<0.05), FSH (p<0.01), and testosterone (p<0.05) levels decreased in all groups, while oxidative stress (p<0.001) was observed to increase in the EtOH group. Conclusion: In our study, the effects of ALKAR on testicular apoptosis, ERS, steroidogenesis, serum LH, FSH, testosterone levels and oxidative stress level were described for the first time in the experimental EtOH model. Our findings may provide important information about the effects of antioxidants in alcohol addiction and may be the basis for new hypotheses. Key words: chronic alcoholism, acetyl L-carnitine, ER stress, apoptosis, steroidogenesis