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. 2025 Sep 1.
doi: 10.1007/s00210-025-04551-8. Online ahead of print.

The role of mesenchymal stem cells and quercetin in preserving fertility in prepubertal male mice exposed to cyclophosphamide

Amirreza Jourabchi  1 , Morteza Abdi  2 , Leila Roshanghar  3 , Homa Aminzadeh Ghavifekr  1
Affiliations

The role of mesenchymal stem cells and quercetin in preserving fertility in prepubertal male mice exposed to cyclophosphamide

Amirreza Jourabchi et al. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. .

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) transplantation and quercetin treatment on the testes of immature mice exposed to cyclophosphamide. Twenty-five prepubertal mice were divided into five groups: control; cyclophosphamide (CTX) group (150 mg/kg); quercetin + CTX group (quercetin 75 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally for 14 days plus CTX); CTX + BMMSC group (CTX followed by injection of 1 × 106 BMMSCs into each testis 24 h after CTX administration); and quercetin + CTX + BMMSC group (combination of quercetin, CTX, and BMMSC injection as described). At the end of the study, serum testosterone levels, biochemical markers, and histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of testicular tissue were performed. CTX treatment significantly decreased serum testosterone levels and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in testicular tissue. CTX also caused tissue damage and increased expression of NF-κB protein (p < 0.05). Treatment with quercetin and BMMSCs improved testicular tissue damage and oxidative stress markers. The findings suggest that quercetin and BMMSC therapy provide protective effects against cyclophosphamide-induced testicular injury in prepubertal mice through molecular and cellular mechanisms.

Keywords: BMMSCs; Cyclophosphamide; Immature; Quercetin; Testis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: This study adhered to the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal research. All experimental procedures were conducted in compliance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, ensuring animal welfare monitoring, including regular health checks, weight tracking, and use of appropriate anesthesia. The sample size was determined based on prior research to minimize animal use while ensuring statistical validity.The research protocol received ethical approval from the Ethical Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, under the ethical code IR.TBZMED.AEC.1401.004. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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