Effects of Combined Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) on Uterine Oxidative Stress Markers and its Impact on Fertility Outcome in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is a combination of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs that reduce viral load to undetectable levels, slow the progression of HIV to AIDS, and improve the quality of life. However, recent findings have indicated that HAART may negatively impact female reproduction. Oxidative stress and cellular damage to the uterus have been implicated in many cases of female reproductive challenges. Therefore, this study examined the effects of HAART on oxidative stress markers and its impact on fertility outcomes in female Sprague Dawley rats.

Material and Methods: A total of sixty cyclic female Sprague Dawley rats was divided into treatment groups AI, AII, and AIII that received 0.4 ml/100 g BW of HAART for 8, 16, and 28 days, respectively. The control groups BI, BII, and BIII were given distilled water for the same experimental durations. Oxidative stress markers of the uterine tissues, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT), were assessed through biochemical assays. Fertility assessment was evaluated based on the number of pregnancies and litters following treatment with HAART.
Results: This study revealed a significant reduction of SOD and CAT levels at p ˂ 0.05 with a complete infertility profile of no pregnancy occurrence in the 28 days HAART treatment group.

Conclusions and Recommendations: This study showed that elevated oxidative stress in the uterus upsets fertility indices with prolonged HAART administration. It is recommended that the usage of HAART should be strictly monitored, especially when it is to be administered for a prolonged duration, to forestall its potential effects to cause infertility issues in patients following treatment.