Histomorphometric and histological assessments of transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells in busulfan-induced azoospermic testis of mice

Abstract

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells, such as adipose tissue-derived stem cells (Ad-SCs), are an appropriate source for cell therapy because of their differentiating properties and secretion of growth factors. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of transplantation of Ad-SCs in busulfan-induced azoospermic testes of mice, histomorphometric and histologically. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four adult male mice were randomly divided into four equal groups, including the control, azoospermia-induced, and two Ad-SCs transplanted groups sacrificed after 60 and 150 days, respectively. To induce azoospermia, animals received two doses of busulfan (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally at 21 days' intervals. Ad-SCs were injected 35 days after the last busulfan injection into the efferent duct of the testis. The cells were isolated from the inguinal adipose tissue of two donor mice. The sacrificed mice were evaluated histomorphometric and histologically. Results: In histomorphometric evaluation, the spermatogenesis index of the Ad-SCs transplanted group after 60 and 150 days did not show any significant difference. At the same time, the index was significantly more than the control group. Most of the seminiferous tubules in the Ad-SCs group after 60 and 150 days were normal in morphology and spermatogenesis. Spermatogenesis was absent in the busulfan-induced group. Conclusion: Our findings based on a histological and histomorphometric study on transplantation of Ad-SCs in mice that recovered spermatogenesis in busulfan-induced azoospermic testes can be added to the literature on the effect of stem cells in the treatment of infertility.