Radioprotective effect of omeprazole against testicular damage induced by ionizing radiation in mice: An experimental study.

Background: Radiation-induced normal tissue damage remains a major concern in radiotherapy, particularly affecting rapidly dividing cells, including those in reproductive tissues. Developing effective radioprotective agents to mitigate this damage is crucial for preserving fertility.

Objective: The radioprotective effects of omeprazole (OMP) were investigated in adult male mice undergoing external radiation.

Materials and methods: In this experimental study, 36 adult male mice (30-35 gr, 6-8 wk old) were divided into 6 groups and orally administered OMP daily via oral gavage for 7 days before whole-body irradiation. On the 8^th day, mice were subjected to a single 6 Gray dose of 6 megavoltage X-ray radiation. Blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture for testosterone level evaluation, while testicular specimens were harvested post-euthanasia for sperm parameters assessment and histological analysis. Additionally, spermatogenic cell density was evaluated.

Results: Irradiation of 6 Gray X-ray to the testis of mice significantly affected sperm count, progressive motility, DNA fragmentation, the number of sperm with normal morphology, and the number of immotile sperm. Furthermore, administration of OMP improved progressive motility, DNA fragmentation, and sperm viability. Histopathological findings showed irradiation led to severe testicular atrophy with spermatogenic arrest and abnormal cytoarchitecture vacuolation and interstitial edema, while OMP treatment reversed relative radiation toxicity, especially in the 50 mg OMP treatment group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, OMP could act as an effective radioprotector against testicular damage following X-ray irradiation in an animal model. Further studies are needed to investigate OMP potential in protecting human testis tissue.