Galactose-induced Aging Model in Rat Testicular Tissue

Objective: To examine whether the D-galactose induced aging model is an appropriate model for further aging research. Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Aziz Sancar Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University, Turkey, June 2015-June 2017. Methodology: The study comprises 3 groups of rats. Group I is young control (YC) 5-month-old rats. Group II is 5-monthold rats, which were mimetically aged (MA) for 6 weeks via intraperitoneal D-galactose (60 mg/kg body weight/day, 0.5 mL) administration. Group III is naturally aged (NA) 24-month-old rats. Group I and III received intraperitoneal saline (0.9% 0.5 mL) for 6 weeks as vehicle. Group I and Group II received injections at 21 weeks age and Group III rats 6 weeks before 24 months age. Tissues were harvested when rats became 6.5-month-old (Group I and Group II) and 24-month-old (Group III). Quantitative biochemical analyses of proteins, lipids, DNA biomarkers and Cu, Zn-SOD were conducted. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted using ANOVA, followed by post-hoc Bonferroni test. Results: Higher magnitude of oxidative damage and diminished antioxidant defence capacity were found in both mimetically aged and naturally aged testicular tissues. It is observed that D-galactose aging model group shares significant similarities in terms of impaired redox homeostasis with the naturally aged rats. Conclusion: D-galactose induced testicular aging model successfully mimics aging process. Therefore, D-galactose induced aging model may be used as an accelerated aging model to study the age related alterations and interventions.