Protective effects of an aqueous extract of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larvae against radiation-induced testicular injury in mice

The larvae of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis have been used as a food ingredient and are known for their nutritional value and anti-inflammatory properties. However, whether P. brevitarsis seulensis larvae demonstrate protective effects against radiation-induced testicular injury has not been investigated. In this study, the protective effects of an aqueous extract of P. brevitarsis seulensis larvae (PBE) against radiation-induced testicular injury were tested. Male C57BL/6 mice were administered PBE (5 or 10 mg/kg) orally for 14 days before exposure to focal pelvic irradiation. Histopathological examinations were conducted at 8 h and 30 d after radiation exposure. PBE pretreatment reduced the radiation-induced apoptosis of germ cells at 8 h after irradiation and significantly increased testis and epididymis weights relative to those of the irradiated control mice at 30 days. PBE protected against histopathological damage and decreased the radiation-induced effects on the epithelium height and seminiferous tubule diameter. Furthermore, the extract ameliorated the radiation-induced morphological abnormalities of sperm cells and improved their motility. It also prevented a decrease in the epididymal sperm count caused by irradiation. Moreover, the extract alleviated the generation of reactive oxygen species, and its antioxidative activity increased in a dose-dependent manner. Among the six major compounds isolated from PBE, benzoic acid and uridine showed the highest antioxidant activities. These results suggest that PBE protects against radiation-induced testicular injury via its antioxidative properties. Thus, it has potential clinical applicability as a neoadjuvant therapy for the prevention of testicular damage caused by cancer radiotherapy.