# Hydrogen sulfide repairs testicular damage induced by heat stress in rats

## TL;DR

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can protect rat testicles from heat stress damage by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, potentially offering a new treatment for heat-induced fertility issues.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates that H2S donor NaHS can repair heat stress-induced testicular injury in rats through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms.

## Key findings

- H2S treatment improved testis index, sperm quality, and hormone levels in heat-stressed rats.
- H2S reduced inflammatory markers and oxidative stress indicators in heat-stressed testes.
- Transcriptome analysis revealed inflammation-related gene upregulation in heat stress, reversed by H2S.

## Abstract

Heat stress can cause testicular damage and affect male fertility. The gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, with antioxidant and anti‐inflammation effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether H2S could reduce the testicular damage caused by heat stress. In this study, we constructed a rat heat‐stress model and treated it with H2S. Histopathology, high‐throughput sequencing, bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology methods were used to investigate whether H2S donor NaHS could alleviate heat stress‐induced testicular injury and to explore the underlying mode of action of H2S. Heat stress reduced testis index, sperm quality, sex hormone levels and disturbed testicular structures. High‐throughput transcriptome sequencing and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that genes involved in inflammation were upregulated in the heat stress group compared to the control group. H2S treatment increased testis index, sperm quality and attenuated pathological alternation and hormone disorder in rats exposed to heat stress. Furthermore, H2S administration reversed increased inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β and interleukin‐6, and resulted in a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels and in increased activity of catalase and ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione compared to the heat stress group. This study suggests that H2S donor NaHS can effectively restore testicular damage caused by heat stress in rats by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.

Heat stress can cause testicular damage and affect fertility. We investigated the potential protective role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) against heat stress‐induced testicular injury and observed that H2S donor NaHS can effectively restore testicular damage in rats by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress. Our results suggest that H2S might be used as a potential therapeutic strategy for heat‐induced testicular injury.