Kısa Süreli Borik Asit Tedavisinin Redoks ve Hormonal Homeostazı Yenileyerek Glifosatın Neden Olduğu Testiküler Toksisiteyi Hafifletici Etkisi

Abstract

Glifosat (GLY), erkek üreme sistemi üzerinde toksik etkiler oluşturduğu bilinen, yaygın olarak kullanılan bir herbisittir. Antioksidan ve antiinflamatuvar özellikler taşıyan borik asit (BA), çeşitli biyolojik sistemlerde oksidatif hasara karşı potansiyel koruyucu etkileri açısından araştırılmıştır. Bu çalışmada, borik asidin glifosat kaynaklı testiküler hasarı önlemedeki koruyucu etkisi değerlendirildi. Erkek sıçanlar rastgele olarak dört deney grubuna ayrıldı: Kontrol, BA, GLY ve BA + GLY. Tedavi sürecinin tamamlanmasının ardından, endokrin fonksiyonlardaki olası değişiklikleri belirlemek amacıyla follikül uyarıcı hormon (FSH), luteinleştirici hormon (LH) ve testosteron düzeyleri ölçüldü. Testiküler malondialdehit (MDA) ve glutatyon (GSH) düzeyleri ELISA yöntemiyle analiz edilirken, antioksidan enzimler olan süperoksit dismutaz (SOD), katalaz (CAT) ve glutatyon peroksidaz (GPx) gen ekspresyonları RT-PCR yöntemiyle değerlendirildi. İnflamatuvar sitokinlerden tümör nekroz faktörü-alfa (TNF-α), interlökin-1 beta (IL-1β) ve interlökin-10 (IL-10) düzeyleri Western blot yöntemiyle belirlendi; Kaspaz-3 immünreaktivitesi ise histopatolojik olarak incelendi. GLY maruziyeti, MDA, TNF-α ve IL-1β düzeylerinde anlamlı artışlara yol açarken; IL-10, GSH, antioksidan enzim ekspresyonu ile FSH, LH ve testosteron düzeylerinde azalmaya neden oldu. BA’nın birlikte uygulanması, antioksidan dengeyi yeniden sağladı, hormonal düzeyleri normalize etti, TNF-α ve IL-1β ekspresyonunu azalttı, IL-10 düzeyini yükseltti ve apoptoz sürecini hafifletti. Elde edilen bulgular, BA’nın oksidatif stres, inflamasyon, endokrin bozulma ve apoptoz mekanizmalarını düzenleyerek GLY kaynaklı testiküler toksisiteye karşı koruyucu etki gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Apoptoz
• Borik Asit
• Glifosat
• İnflamasyon
• Oksidatif Stres
• Testiküler Toksisite

Short-Term Boric Acid Treatment Attenuates Glyphosate-Induced Testicular Toxicity by Restoring Redox and Hormonal Homeostasis

Abstract

Glyphosate (GLY) is a widely used herbicide known to exert toxic effects on the male reproductive system. Boric acid (BA), possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been investigated for its potential protective effects against oxidative damage in various biological systems. In this study, the shielding effect of boric acid in counteracting testicular impairment caused by glyphosate was assessed. Random allocation of male rats was performed to establish four experimental groups. Control, BA, GLY, and BA+ GLY. After the treatment phase, measurements of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone were conducted to explore potential alterations in endocrine function. Testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels were examined by ELISA, while the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-was quantified using RT-PCR. Inflammatory cytokines including, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-10 (IL-10), were evaluated by Western blot, and Caspase-3 immunoreactivity was examined histopathologically. GLY exposure significantly increased MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels while reducing IL-10, GSH, antioxidant enzyme expression, and FSH,LH, and testosterone concentrations. Co-administration of BA restored antioxidant balance, normalized hormonal levels, decreased TNF-α and IL-1β expression, elevated IL-10, and mitigated apoptosis. These results indicate that BA protects the testes from GLY-induced impairment by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine disruption, and apoptotic cascades.

Keywords

• Apoptosis
• Boric Acid
• Glyphosate
• Inflammation
• Oxidative Stress
• Testicular Toxicity

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