Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats

Heat stress can cause testicular damage and affect male fertility. The gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, with antioxidant and anti‐inflammation effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H2S could reduce the t...

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Main Authors: Xinyu Guo, Yupeng Yin, Susu Guo, Xiaoyan Chen, Suyan Xie, Shiqin Chen, Yan Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:FEBS Open Bio
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.70010
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author Xinyu Guo
Yupeng Yin
Susu Guo
Xiaoyan Chen
Suyan Xie
Shiqin Chen
Yan Huang
author_facet Xinyu Guo
Yupeng Yin
Susu Guo
Xiaoyan Chen
Suyan Xie
Shiqin Chen
Yan Huang
author_sort Xinyu Guo
collection DOAJ
description Heat stress can cause testicular damage and affect male fertility. The gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, with antioxidant and anti‐inflammation effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H2S could reduce the testicular damage caused by heat stress. In this study, we constructed a rat heat‐stress model and treated it with H2S. Histopathology, high‐throughput sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology methods were used to investigate whether H2S donor NaHS could alleviate heat stress‐induced testicular injury and to explore the underlying mode of action of H2S. Heat stress reduced testis index, sperm quality, sex hormone levels and disturbed testicular structures. High‐throughput transcriptome sequencing and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that genes involved in inflammation were upregulated in the heat stress group compared to the control group. H2S treatment increased testis index, sperm quality and attenuated pathological alternation and hormone disorder in rats exposed to heat stress. Furthermore, H2S administration reversed increased inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β and interleukin‐6, and resulted in a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels and in increased activity of catalase and ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione compared to the heat stress group. This study suggests that H2S donor NaHS can effectively restore testicular damage caused by heat stress in rats by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.
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spelling doaj-art-c0334013d47146d5a572991deef8653c2025-08-20T02:23:53ZengWileyFEBS Open Bio2211-54632025-06-0115696397110.1002/2211-5463.70010Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in ratsXinyu Guo0Yupeng Yin1Susu Guo2Xiaoyan Chen3Suyan Xie4Shiqin Chen5Yan Huang6Center of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command Guangzhou ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaCenter of Reproductive Medicine The General Hospital of Southern Theater Command Guangzhou ChinaHeat stress can cause testicular damage and affect male fertility. The gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, with antioxidant and anti‐inflammation effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H2S could reduce the testicular damage caused by heat stress. In this study, we constructed a rat heat‐stress model and treated it with H2S. Histopathology, high‐throughput sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology methods were used to investigate whether H2S donor NaHS could alleviate heat stress‐induced testicular injury and to explore the underlying mode of action of H2S. Heat stress reduced testis index, sperm quality, sex hormone levels and disturbed testicular structures. High‐throughput transcriptome sequencing and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that genes involved in inflammation were upregulated in the heat stress group compared to the control group. H2S treatment increased testis index, sperm quality and attenuated pathological alternation and hormone disorder in rats exposed to heat stress. Furthermore, H2S administration reversed increased inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β and interleukin‐6, and resulted in a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels and in increased activity of catalase and ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione compared to the heat stress group. This study suggests that H2S donor NaHS can effectively restore testicular damage caused by heat stress in rats by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.70010H2Sheat stressinflammationoxidative stresstestis
spellingShingle Xinyu Guo
Yupeng Yin
Susu Guo
Xiaoyan Chen
Suyan Xie
Shiqin Chen
Yan Huang
Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
FEBS Open Bio
H2S
heat stress
inflammation
oxidative stress
testis
title Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
title_full Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
title_fullStr Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
title_full_unstemmed Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
title_short Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
title_sort hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats
topic H2S
heat stress
inflammation
oxidative stress
testis
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.70010
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AT susuguo hydrogensulfiderepairstesticulardamageinducedbyheatstressinrats
AT xiaoyanchen hydrogensulfiderepairstesticulardamageinducedbyheatstressinrats
AT suyanxie hydrogensulfiderepairstesticulardamageinducedbyheatstressinrats
AT shiqinchen hydrogensulfiderepairstesticulardamageinducedbyheatstressinrats
AT yanhuang hydrogensulfiderepairstesticulardamageinducedbyheatstressinrats