Investigation of the effects of autophagy i̇nhibitor 3-methyladenine and activator rapamycin on the parameters associated with reproduction i̇n rats

Autophagy is involved in many functions in the reproductive cycle, from primordial follicle, sperm development to embryogenesis and placental development. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenin and its activator Rapamycin on the reproductive system of female and male rats. In the study, a total of 64 Wistar albino rats, 32 males and 32 females, are used by including 8 animals in each group which are divided into control, sham (distilled water 1 mL/day), 3-Methyladenin (15 mg/kg/day), Rapamycin (2 mg/kg/day) groups. Applications are performed by using oral gavage for a total of 40 days. Spermiogram, ELISA, histological, molecular analyzes are combined to determine the effects of the administered drugs on the reproductive systems. In male rats, 3-MA has an increase in abnormal tail ratio, decrease in testosterone level, RBM9, BAX, BCL2, CASP7, CASP3, APAF1 mRNA gene expression level, RAPA has a decrease in testosterone level, RPS6 mRNA gene expression level; It was determined that it caused an increase in RBM9, RPL4, SITC, BCL2, APAF1 mRNA gene expression levels. In female rats, a decrease in the AMH level of 3-MA, an increase in GDF9 mRNA expression; It was shown that RAPA caused a decrease in AMH level RPS6 mRNA gene expression level. It is determined that change autophagic regulation with various molecules such as 3-MA and RAPA can change hormone profiles, gene expressions effective in gametogenesis. Nevertheless in cases where autophagy change occurs, these molecules show promise for ensuring autophagic balance.