HISTOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF WHEY PROTEIN ON TESTIS OF RATS

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Department of Basic Science, College of Dentistry, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq

2 Department of Biology, College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

Abstract

Since many athletes consume large amounts of whey protein without consulting a nutritionist, this study was designed to determine the effect of whey protein on testicular tissue from a histological and immunohistochemical perspective. Thirty-six adult male rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The first group received 0.8 mg/kg of whey protein, the second group received 1.6 mg/kg, and the third group served as the control group. Testes were removed from the animals following slaughter for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The findings revealed alterations in the testes, with fibrosis, increased interstitial space, a thickened layer of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes, immature cells in the tubular lumen, increased Leydig cell proliferation, and atrophy and degeneration of the seminiferous tubules. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive CD3-T cell infiltration in the interstitial tissue of groups 1 and 2, contrary to the control group, which exhibited negative staining. In contrast to the control group, group 1 and group 2 showed negative staining for CD20-B lymphocyte infiltration in the interstitial tissue. In conclusion, testicular histopathological effects were induced by high whey protein concentrations. Additionally, T cells infiltrate the testis' interstitial tissue without B lymphocytes, stimulating the immunological response.

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