Figure 5.

Schematic diagram showing molecular mechanism of SC in varicocele-induced testicular dysfunction in male SD rats. ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ROS/RNS: reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species; MDA: malondialdehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; IL-6: interleukin-6; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; GRP-78: glucose-regulated protein-78; p-JNK: phosphorylated c-Jun-N-terminal kinase; p-IRE1α): phosphorylated inositol-requiring transmembrane kinase/endoribonuclease 1α; JNK: C-jun-N-terminal kinase; Bax: BCL 2-associated X protein; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; StAR: steroidogenic acute regulatory protein.