A Protein from Dioscorea polystachya (Chinese Yam) Improves Hydrocortisone-Induced Testicular Dysfunction by Alleviating Leydig Cell Injury via Upregulation of the Nrf2 Pathway

Figure 3

Amelioration of testicular dysfunction by DP1 was related to the restoration of Leydig cells. (a) Immunohistochemistry with an antibody against 3β-HSD was performed to measure the amount of Leydig cells in testicular tissues of rats. (b) Effect of DP1 on the cell viability of TM3 cells detected by CCK-8 assays. (c, d) Flow cytometry was conducted to analyze the number of apoptotic TM3 cells. (e, g) The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax in TM3 cells was detected by Western blotting. (f, g) The protein expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-SMAD2/3 in TM3 cells were detected by Western blotting. (h) Immunofluorescence assays were performed to detect the expression of TGF-β1 in TM3 cells. (i) Comparison of the testosterone levels in TM3 cells. Each bar represents the . All images were captured at a magnification of ×100. ^#, ^##, and ^### vs. the control group; , , and vs. the H₂O₂ group.

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