Carnosic acid prevents heat stress-induced oxidative damage by regulating heat-shock proteins and apoptotic proteins in mouse testis

Abstract Heat stress impacts male reproduction in animal husbandry. Carnosic acid (CA), a potent antioxidant, mitigates oxidative stress and apoptosis. αB-crystallin, a small heat shock protein, regulates apoptosis and oxidative stress. This study examines the protective effects of CA on the testis in wild-type and αB-crystallin knockout mice under heat stress. CA pretreatment increased testosterone levels and preserved testicular structure in wild-type mice, but no changes in knockout mice. CA reduced Hsp27, Hsp70, and cleaved caspase-3 levels, while knockout mice showed increased cleaved caspase-3. These results suggest that CA protects the testis by modulating heat shock and apoptosis-related proteins.