IMR Press / FBL / Volume 29 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2903095
Open Access Original Research
Melatonin Alleviates BPA-Induced Testicular Apoptosis and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
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1 School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, 132013 Jilin, Jilin, China
2 Center for Reproductive Medicine, Jilin Medical University, 132013 Jilin, Jilin, China
*Correspondence: wgq@beihua.edu.cn (Guoqing Wang); pxy19790122@163.com (Xiaoyan Pan)
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2024, 29(3), 95; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2903095
Submitted: 10 November 2023 | Revised: 20 December 2023 | Accepted: 29 December 2023 | Published: 8 March 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: The impact of melatonin on bisphenol A (BPA)-induced testicular apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was explored. Methods: The mice received BPA (50 mg/kg) by gavage for 30 days while being injected with 20 mg/kg melatonin. Protein expressions were detected with western blotting. The Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay measured testicular cell apoptosis. Testosterone was quantified by employing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Melatonin promoted the development of seminiferous tubules, restored the orderly arrangement of the germ cells, and increased epithelial layers in the seminiferous tubules in BPA-treated mice. Moreover, in BPA-treated mouse testicular cells, melatonin markedly upregulated melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) and melatonin Receptor 2 (MTNR2) expressions while downregulating ER molecular chaperones glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94). Furthermore, it decreased p-PERK, p-IRE1, and ATF6α, as well as the apoptotic proteins cysteine-containing aspartate-specific proteases-12 (caspase-12) and cleaved cysteine-containing aspartate-specific proteases-3 (cleaved caspase-3), causing the suppression of testicular cell apoptosis. Additionally, melatonin increased the levels of cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/20-lyase (CYP17A1), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (17β-HSD3), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 4 (3β-HSD4), in the ER, and elevated testosterone levels in testicular tissue. Conclusions: Melatonin can significantly alleviate testicular apoptosis and ER stress induced by BPA, which is because of the upregulation of melatonin receptor expression in testicular cells, inhibition of ER stress-related pathways, and enhancement of testosterone synthesis.

Keywords
melatonin
bisphenol A
endoplasmic reticulum stress
apoptosis
testosterone
Funding
YDZJ202301ZYTS125/Scientific and Technological Research Project of Jilin Province
2022060/Graduate Innovation Plan Project of Beihua University
Figures
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