Wang J, Bao B, Meng F, et al. - In patients with oligozoospermia or asthenospermia, treatment with levocarnitine (LEV) aids in improving the percentage of forward-motion spermatozoon and total sperm motility. Researchers herein investigated the mechanism of action LEV in the treatment of spermatogenic dysfunction.

• Glucosides of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (GTW) were employed to generate a cell model (using spermatogenic GC-1 spg cells) and an animal model (using rats) of spermatogenic dysfunction.

• Thereafter, treatment with LEV and LY294002 (a PI3K pathway inhibitor) was done.

• The GTW induced spermatogenic dysfunction ameliorated following LEV administration. Inhibition of GC-1 spg cell apoptosis and improvement in the sperm count and percentages of PR (forward motion) + NP (non-forward motion) occurred following LEV treatment.

• Besides, the GTW group had inferior morphology of testicular tissue relative to the GTW + LEV and LY + LEV groups.

• Based on findings, possibly the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is involved in the mechanism of action of LEV, with increases in PI3K, p-AKT, and BCL-2 protein and mRNA expression, so that there was a reduction in the percentages of GC-1 spg cells apoptosis, and improvement in the sperm count and motility.