Potential role of human chorionic gonadotropin supplementation in spermatogenesis in rats subjected to forced swimming exercise

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the supportive effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on the quality of spermatogenesis, including count, motility, morphology, viability and apoptosis of sperm following forced swimming exercise. Materials and methods: Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. All rats were divided into four groups: control group; swimming exercise group (S); hCG administration group and swimming (SG) with hCG administration group (G). The experimental group was trained to force swimming stress for 10 min for 6 days. Then the sperm quality parameters were measured after dissection and epididymis removal. Spermatogenesis and germ cell apoptosis were evaluated by using Miller & Johnsen's score and TUNEL staining respectively. Results: Results showed the count (control: 113±3.1, S: 74±1.9, G: 111±3, and SG: 103±2.4), motility (control: 93±2, S: 67±2.8,G: 90±2.7, and SG: 78±1), morphology (control: 89±3%, S: 47±2.4%, G: 90±3.1%, and SG: 67±1.1%), and viability of sperm (control: 91±2.9, S: 50±2, G: 91±1.9, and SG: 70±1.3) in swimming exercised-hCG administered group, significantly enhanced by hCG treatment compared to the swimming exercise group ( p ≤0.01). Also the number of apoptotic germ cells significantly decreased in swimming exercised-hCG administered group compared to the swimming exercised group. Conclusions: These results suggest that administration of hCG can protect the testes against the detrimental effect of forced swimming exercise in adult male rats.