Intraperitoneal kisspeptin-10 administration induces dose-dependent degenerative changes in maturing rat testes.
Ramzan. Faiqah F; Qureshi. Irfan Zia IZ
Key Findings
- Repeated intraperitoneal kisspeptin-10 (1 ng–1 µg) reduced plasma LH and testosterone levels.
- Spermatogenesis was impaired: fewer spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids, leading to lower daily sperm production.
- Testicular tissue showed clear degeneration—tubular necrosis, vacuolization, giant cells, and disrupted germ cells—across all tested doses.
Practical Outcomes
- For anyone considering kisspeptin-10 as a supplement to boost hormones or fertility, this animal data warns that chronic dosing can actually suppress reproductive hormones and damage testicular function, especially in younger males. Until human safety data are available, avoid regular kisspeptin-10 use for performance or longevity purposes.
Summary
A study in young male rats found that giving kisspeptin-10 repeatedly for two weeks lowered key hormones (LH and testosterone) and caused serious damage to the testes, including fewer sperm cells and structural degeneration. The harmful effects were seen at doses as low as 1 ng per injection, and got worse with higher doses.
Abstract
Kisspeptin, a peptide secreted by hypothalamic neurons, is a critical regulator of reproduction and puberty but its role in the regulation of gonadal maturation in sexually immature males is elusive. The present study investigated the effects of 12 days of pulsatile kisspeptin administration on gonadotropins and testosterone release and maturation of immature male gonads. Kisspeptin-10 was administered intraperitoneally at different dosage concentrations (1 μg, 1 ng, and 10 pg) to 5 weeks old prepubertal male rats, twice daily for 12 days. Plasma LH, FSH and testosterone concentrations were measured through competitive-binding radioimmunoassay. Spermatogenesis was studied mainly at stage VII of the spermatogenic cycle through light and electron microscopy. At the end of the treatments plasma LH and testosterone concentrations were reduced significantly at 1ng and 1μg kisspeptin doses (P<0.05; P<0.01). Type A spermatogonia, preleptotene spermatocytes, pachytene spermatocytes, step 7 spermatids, elongated spermatids and daily sperm production decreased significantly (P<0.05). Sertoli cell efficiency and total support capacity of Sertoli cells were reduced at all doses (P<0.05). Meiotic index decreased (P<0.05) at 1 μg dose only, whereas coefficient of mitosis increased at 1 ng and 1 μg (P<0.01) kisspeptin doses. Histologically, degeneration of seminiferous tubules was evident showing tubular necrosis, multinucleated giant cell formation, intratubular vacuolization, widened lumen and deshaped germ cells. Marked ultrastructural changes characterized by thin basal laminae, enlarged intratubular spaces, abnormal acrosome and disrupted germ cells were noticeable. In conclusion long-term kisspeptin-10 administration negatively regulates gonadal maturation in prepubertal testes.
Study Information
pubmed
2010
2010-11-26T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.lfs.2010.11.019
41
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