Effects of diclofenac sodium exposure during pregnancy on COX-2 expression in the ductus epididymis and ductus deferens of the offspring rat

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of diclofenac sodium application during pregnancy on COX-2 expression in the ductus epididymis (DE) and ductus deferens (DD) of the offspring rat. 8 adult Wistar Albino non-pregnant female rats and two breeding male rats were utilized. Rats determined to be pregnant were separated into two categories as sham (S) and diclofenac sodium (DS). It was injected into the S group with 1 ml/kg/day saline for 10 days, and it was injected into the DS group with 6.1 mg/kg/day DS. 7 male offspring were used in each group. DS decreased the serum testosterone levels and incresed the number of mast. DS induced fibrotic thickening. Offspring of S group had moderate COX-2 in the caput epididymis (CPE) and severe COX-2 in the cauda epididymis (CE), while those in the DS group had weak COX-2 in the CPE and moderate COX-2 in the CE. There was no COX-2 expression in the vas deferens and corpus epididymis (COE) of the offspring rats in the S and DS groups. TNF-α expression was not observed in the S and DS groups. It was observed that moderate IL-10 expression in the CPE and CE, and weak IL-10 expression in the vas deferens and COE in the S and DS groups. The findings of our study reveal that DS administration during pregnancy can cause the downregulation of COX-2 expression in the DE and DD of offspring rats and therefore may have adverse effects on the male reproductive system.

Keywords

• COX-2
• Diclofenac sodium
• Ductus epididymis
• Rat
• Vas deferens.

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