PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Al-Hashem, Fahaid H.
TI  - Role of vitamins E and C in mitigating hypoxia- and exhaustive exercise-induced aberrant stem cell factor expression and impaired reproductive function in male Wistar rats
DP  - 2013 Apr 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 354--363
VI  - 34
IP  - 4
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/4/354.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/4/354.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2013 Apr 01; 34
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the potential role of vitamins E and C in protecting against acute swimming induced reproductive function damage at different altitudes.METHODS: The study was carried between October and November 2010. A total of 36 adult male Wistar rats weighing 250+/-5 g, and aged 8 weeks were used in this study, which was carried at the Physiology laboratory of King Khalid University in Abha City (high altitude area [HA]), and at the College of Science, King Saud University in Riyadh city (low altitude area [LA]), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rats of each area were divided into 3 groups (n=6 each): control, acute exercise stress, and vitamins E and C pretreated stress. At the end of the study, oxidative stress, reproductive function, histopathology, and expression of stem cell factor (CSF) were examined in all rats.RESULTS: Living under HA conditions decreased expression of SCF, sperm count, and serum levels of reproductive hormones, and significantly increased testicle tissue oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Exhaustive exercise-induced stress at both altitudes resulted in similar results with more deteriorating effects in rats of HA compared with LA. Supplementation of vitamins E and C prior to stress induction at both altitudes prevented all these structural and functional aberrations from happening.CONCLUSION: High altitude or strenuous exercise, or both, may impair male reproductive function, while vitamins E and C in combination potentially mitigate these adverse effects.