Protective effects of astaxanthin against testicular toxicity in rats induced with cisplatin

Aim: We aimed to evaluate and conclude the effects of astaxanthin against cisplatin-induced testicular damage using biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical methods. Material and Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar Albino rats were used and divided into 4 groups: control and astaxanthin groups with 8 rats each, and cisplatin and cisplatin+astaxanthin groups with 10 rats each. At the end of the experiment, tissues were collected and stained with H-E for histological analyses and with Nrf2, HO-1, Vimentin, Caspase-3, PCNA, and 3β-HSD for immunohistochemistry. For biochemical analyses, testosterone hormone levels were measured from blood taken from the heart, and MDA and tGSH levels were measured from testicular tissues. Results: According to the biochemical results, a significant decrease in testosterone levels and tGSH levels and a significant increase in MDA levels were observed in the cisplatin group. According to the immunohistochemical results, an increase in the immunoreactivity of Nrf2, HO-1, vimentin, and caspase-3 and a significant decrease in 3β-HSD were observed. According to the histopathological results, a significant decrease in seminiferous epithelial and tubule diameters was observed in the cisplatin group. Pre- and post-experiment body weights showed a significant decrease in the cisplatin group, whereas testis weights showed a marked decrease, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The protective and therapeutic efficacy of astaxanthin against the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin on the testes has been demonstrated by the results of our study. Keywords: Astaxanthin, Apoptosis, Cisplatin, İnflammation, Testicular damage, Oxidative stress.