A High Fat Diet during Adolescence in Male Rats Negatively Programs Reproductive and Metabolic Function Which Is Partially Ameliorated by Exercise

Puberty as a DOHaD programming window: high-fat diet induces long-term hepatic dysfunction in male rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether high-fat (HF) diet intake during puberty can program obesity as well as generate glucose imbalance and hepatic metabolic dysfunctions in adult life. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into two groups: rats fed standard chow (NF) and rats fed a HF from postnatal 30-day-old (PND30) until PND60. Then, both groups were fed a standard chow from PND60 until PND120. Euthanasia and samples collections occurred at PND120. HF animals were overweight (+11%) and had increased adiposity, hyperphagia (+12%), hyperglycaemia (+13%), hyperinsulinemia (+69%), and hypertriglyceridemia (+34%). Plasma glucose levels during intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT) and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (ipITT) were also higher in the HF group, whereas Kitt was significantly lower (-34%), suggesting reduced insulin sensitivity. In the same sense, HF animals present pancreatic islets hypertrophy and high β-cell mass. HF animals also had a significant increase in blood glucose levels during pyruvate tolerance test, indicating increased gluconeogenesis. Hepatic morphology analyses showed an increase in lipid inclusion in the HF group. Moreover, PEPCK and FAS protein expression were higher in the livers of the HF animals (+79% and + 37%, respectively). In conclusion, HF during puberty causes obese phenotype leading to glucose dyshomeostasis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can be related to the overexpression of proteins PEPCK and FAS.

Precocious evaluation of cardiovascular risk and its correlation with perinatal condition

The cardiovascular disease is the main cause of worldwide death. This profile is potentialized by the increased severity of infections in people with obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Children and adolescents are target groups for the prevention of non-communicable diseases. The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease concept points that perinatal conditions are an important risk factor to development of non-communicable disease in adulthood. In this context, the present review identifies perinatal factor that induces precocious cardiovascular risk factors, related with cardiometabolic syndrome. The low or high birth weight and caesarean delivery are risk factors that induce increased occurrence of cardiovascular risk biomarkers in children and adolescents, while the breast feeding or feeding with breast milk from the birth until two years-old is a protector strategy. Evaluation of perinatal conditions associated with precocious identification of cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents is an efficient strategy to prevent and control cardiovascular mortality; through interventions, as lifestyle changes during vulnerable windows of development, able to set up the risk to cardiometabolic disease.

Male Fertility and Physical Exercise

According to existing studies, sedentary behavior contributes to male infertility. Both preclinical and clinical studies have investigated the association between physical exercise, semen quality, and pregnancy rates with heterogeneous results. The current review sought to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA) and male infertility, semen characteristics, and pregnancy rates. Pre-clinical studies demonstrated mixed benefits from exercise, with diet being an important consideration. Some forms of PA showed an improvement in pregnancy rates, while others did not consistently improve semen quality. Data also suggests that more intense exercise and certain types of exercise may impair male fertility. Given the limited number of randomized trials, future research is required to examine the relationship between specific forms of exercise and semen parameters along with reproductive outcomes.

Obesity: A Doorway to a Molecular Path Leading to Infertility

The dramatic rise in obesity has recently made it a global health issue. About 1.9 billion were overweight, and 650 million global populations were obese in 2016. Obese women suffer longer conception time, lowered fertility rates, and greater rates of miscarriage. Obesity alters hormones such as adiponectin and leptin, affecting all levels within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) are inflammatory cytokines that may play an important role in the pathophysiology of ovarian dysfunction in obesity. In obese males, there are altered sperm parameters, reduced testosterone, increased estradiol, hypogonadism, and epigenetic modifications transmitted to offspring. The focus of this article is on the possible adverse effects on reproductive health resulting from obesity and sheds light on different molecular pathways linking obesity with infertility in both female and male subjects. Electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Embase, Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Search Engine were utilized to find obesity and infertility-related papers. The search strategy is detailed in the method section. Even though multiple research work has shown that obesity impacts fertility in both male and female negatively, it is significant to perform extensive research on the molecular mechanisms that link obesity to infertility. This is to find therapeutics that may be developed aiming at these mechanisms to manage and prevent the negative effects of obesity on the reproductive system.

High-fructose diet during puberty alters the sperm parameters, testosterone concentration, and histopathology of testes and epididymis in adult Wistar rats

The consumption of fructose has increased in children and adolescents and is partially responsible for the high incidence of metabolic diseases. The lifestyle during postnatal development can result in altered metabolic programming, thereby impairing the reproductive system and fertility during adulthood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high-fructose diet in the male reproductive system of pubertal and adult rats. Male Wistar rats (30 d old) were assigned to four different groups: Fr30, which received fructose (20%) in water for 30 d and were euthanized at postnatal day (PND) 60; Re-Fr30, which received fructose (20%) for 30 d and were euthanized at PND 120; and two control groups C30 and Re-C30, which received water ad libitum and were euthanized at PND 60 and 120, respectively. Fructose induced an increase in abnormal seminiferous tubules with epithelial vacuoles, degeneration, and immature cells in the lumen. Moreover, Fr30 rats showed altered spermatogenesis and daily sperm production (DSP), as well as increased serum testosterone concentrations. After discontinuing high-fructose consumption, DSP and sperm number decreased significantly. We observed tissue remodeling in the epididymis, with a reduction in stromal and epithelial compartments that might have influenced sperm motility. Therefore, we concluded that fructose intake in peripubertal rats led to changes in the reproductive system observed both during puberty and adulthood.

Cinnamaldehyde treatment during adolescence improves white and brown adipose tissue metabolism in a male rat model of early obesity

Early obesity is a serious health problem and nutritional therapeutic strategies during young age may improve health outcomes throughout life. Cinnamaldehyde, major component of cinnamon, exhibits several beneficial metabolic effects....

Intergenerational effects of a paternal Western diet during adolescence on offspring gut microbiota, stress reactivity, and social behavior

The global consumption of highly processed, calorie-dense foods has contributed to an epidemic of overweight and obesity, along with negative consequences for metabolic dysfunction and disease susceptibility. As it becomes apparent that overweight and obesity have ripple effects through generations, understanding of the processes involved is required, in both maternal and paternal epigenetic inheritance. We focused on the patrilineal effects of a Western-style high-fat (21%) and high-sugar (34%) diet (WD) compared to control diet (CD) during adolescence and investigated F0 and F1 mice for physiological and behavioral changes. F0 males (fathers) showed increased body weight, impaired glycemic control, and decreased attractiveness to females. Paternal WD caused significant phenotypic changes in F1 offspring, including higher body weights of pups, increased Actinobacteria abundance in the gut microbiota (ascertained using 16S microbiome profiling), a food preference for WD pellets, increased male dominance and attractiveness to females, as well as decreased behavioral despair. These results collectively demonstrate the long-term intergenerational effects of a Western-style diet during paternal adolescence. The behavioral and physiological alterations in F1 offspring provide evidence of adaptive paternal programming via epigenetic inheritance. These findings have important implications for understanding paternally mediated intergenerational inheritance, and its relevance to offspring health and disease susceptibility.

The Abscopal Effects of Cranial Irradiation Induce Testicular Damage in Mice

To investigate whether the abscopal effects of cranial irradiation (C-irradiation) cause testicular damage in mice, male C57BL/6 mice (9weeks of age) were randomly divided into a sham irradiation group, a shielded group and a C-irradiation group and administered sham/shielded irradiation or C-irradiation at a dose rate of 2.33Gy/min (5Gy/d for 4 d consecutively). All mice were sacrificed at 4weeks after C-irradiation. We calculated the testis index, observed testicular histology by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and observed testicular ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy. Western blotting was used to determine the protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Cleaved caspase 3, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and stem cell factor (SCF) in the testes of mice. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to detect the expression of Cleaved caspase 3 and 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD), and a TUNEL assay was used to confirm the location of apoptotic cells. The levels of testosterone (T), GDNF and SCF were measured by ELISA. We also evaluated the sperm quality in the cauda epididymides by measuring the sperm count, abnormality, survival rate and apoptosis rate. The results showed that there was no significant difference in testicular histology, ultrastructure or sperm quality between the shielded group and sham group. Compared with the sham/shielded group, the C-irradiation group exhibited a lower testis index and severely damaged testicular histology and ultrastructure at 4weeks after C-irradiation. The levels of apoptosis in the testes increased markedly in the C-irradiation group, especially in spermatogonial stem cells. The levels of serum T and testicular 3βHSD did not obviously differ between the sham group and the C-irradiation group, but the levels of GDNF and SCF in the testes increased in the C-irradiation group, compared with the sham group. In addition, the sperm count and survival rate decreased in the C-irradiation group, while the abnormality and apoptosis rate increased. Under these experimental conditions, the abscopal effects of C-irradiation induced testicular damage with regard to both structure and function and ultimately decreased sperm quality in mice. These findings provide novel insights into prevention and treatment targets for male reproductive damage induced by C-irradiation.

Can breastfeeding affect the rest of our life?

The breastfeeding period is one of the most important critical windows in our development, since milk, our first food after birth, contains several compounds, such as macronutrients, micronutrients, antibodies, growth factors and hormones that benefit human health. Indeed, nutritional, and environmental alterations during lactation, change the composition of breast milk and induce alterations in the child's development, such as obesity, leading to the metabolic dysfunctions, cardiovascular diseases and neurobehavioral disorders. This review is based on experimental animal models, most of them in rodents, and summarizes the impact of an adequate breast milk supply in view of the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) concept, which has been proposed by researchers in the areas of epidemiology and basic science from around the world. Here, experimental advances in understanding the programming during breastfeeding were compiled with the purpose of generating knowledge about the genesis of chronic noncommunicable diseases and to guide the development of public policies to deal with and prevent the problems arising from this phenomenon. This review article is part of the special issue on "Cross talk between periphery and brain".

Voluntary Exercise Attenuates Hyperhomocysteinemia, But Does not Protect Against Hyperhomocysteinemia-Induced Testicular and Epididymal Disturbances

The hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is toxic to the cells and associated with several diseases. Clinical studies have shown changes in plasma concentrations of Hcy after physical exercise. This study aimed to assess the effect of HHcy on testis, epididymis and sperm quality and to investigate whether voluntary exercise training protects this system against damage caused by HHcy in Swiss mice. In this study, 48 mice were randomly distributed in the control, HHcy, physical exercise, and HHcy combined with physical exercise groups. HHcy was induced by daily administration of dl-homocysteine thiolactone via gavage throughout the experimental period. Physical exercise was performed through voluntary running on the exercise wheels. The plasma concentrations of homocysteine (Hcy) and testosterone were determined. The testes and epididymis were used to assess the sperm count, histopathology, lipoperoxidation, cytokine levels, testicular cholesterol, myeloperoxidase, and catalase activity. Spermatozoa were analyzed for morphology, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial activity, and motility. In the testes, HHcy increased the number of abnormal seminiferous tubules, reduced the tubular diameter and the height of the germinal epithelium. In the epididymis, there was tissue remodeling in the head region. Ultimately, voluntary physical exercise training reduced plasma Hcy concentration but did not attenuate HHcy-induced testicular and epididymal disturbances.

Bee bread mitigates downregulation of steroidogenic genes, decreased spermatogenesis, and epididymal oxidative stress in male rats fed with high-fat diet

The pituitary-gonadal axis plays an important role in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis, and by extension, fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of bee bread, a natural bee product, against obesity-induced decreases in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 200 and 300 g were divided into four groups (n = 8/group), namely: normal control (NC), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD plus bee bread administered concurrently for 12 wk (HFD + B), HFD plus orlistat administered concurrently for 12 wk (HFD + O) groups. Bee bread (0.5 g/kg) or orlistat (10 mg/kg/day) was suspended in distilled water and given by oral gavage daily for 12 wk. Levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and adiponectin, as well as sperm count, motility, viability, normal morphology, and epididymal antioxidants decreased, whereas levels of leptin, malondialdehyde, and sperm nDNA fragmentation increased significantly in the HFD group relative to the NC group. There were significant decreases in the testicular mRNA transcript levels of androgen receptor, luteinizing hormone receptor, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, cytochrome P450 enzyme, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17β-HSD in the testes of the HFD group. Furthermore, mount, intromission and ejaculatory latencies increased, and penile cGMP level decreased significantly in the HFD group. Supplementation with bee bread significantly reduced leptin level and increased adiponectin level, enhanced sperm parameters and reduced sperm nDNA fragmentation, upregulated the levels of steroidogenic genes and proteins in HFD-induced obese male rats. Bee bread improved steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis by upregulating steroidogenic genes. Therefore, bee bread may be considered as a potential supplementation to protect against infertility in overweight men or men with obesity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The high-fat diet utilized in the present study induced obesity in the male rats. Bee bread supplementation mitigated impaired steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, mating behavior, and fertility potential by counteracting the downregulation of steroidogenic genes, thus increasing testosterone levels and suppressing epididymal oxidative stress. These benefits may be due to the abundance of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in bee bread.

Effects of moderate intensity endurance training and high-intensity interval training on the reproductive parameters of wistar rats overfed in infancy

Studies indicate that rapid weight gain at critical development stages, such as the lactation period, is associated with the development of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes in the long term. In addition to metabolic changes during adulthood, overweight/obesity may influence reproductive function. Human and animal studies suggest that lifestyle changes through exercise and/or controlled diet result in improved semen quality in obese individuals. However, the relationship between exercise volume/intensity and reproductive capacity effects remains inconclusive. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of moderate intensity endurance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the reproductive parameters of lactating overfed male Wistar rats. Postnatal overfeeding was induced by applying the litter size reduction method. Forty males Wistar rats were used, divided into four groups: one with control litters (CLs) (10 animals/litter-sedentary) and three with small litters (SLs) (4 animals/litter), divided into sedentary, moderate endurance training, and HIIT. Morphologic, metabolic, and reproductive variables were analyzed. SL sedentary group showed increased body weight, adiposity, and decreased relative weight of the seminal vesicle, prostate, and epididymis as well as changes in the insulin tolerance and oral glucose tolerance tests glycemic tests compared to CL sedentary group. Endurance and HIIT protocols were efficient in improving the glycemic metabolism, central fat accumulation of trained groups and did not affect reproductive parameters. Endurance and HIIT protocols proved to be effective in reversing these metabolic changes without impairing the evaluated reproductive parameters.

Voluntary exercise improves sperm parameters in high fat diet receiving rats through alteration in testicular oxidative stress, mir-34a/SIRT1/p53 and apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

High fat diet can lead to testicular structural and functional disturbances, spermatogenesis disorders as well as infertility. So, the present investigation was proposed to clarify whether voluntary exercise could prevent high fat diet induced reproductive complications in rats through testicular stress oxidative and apoptosis.

METHODS

Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups; control (C), voluntary exercise (VE), high fat diet (HFD) and high fat diet and voluntary exercise (VE + HFD) groups. The rats in the VE and VE + HFD groups were accommodated in apart cages that had running wheels and the running distance was assessed daily for 10 weeks. In VE + HFD group, animals were fed with HFD for five weeks before commencing exercise. The sperm parameters, the expressions of testicular miR-34a gene, and P53 and SIRT1 proteins as well as testicular apoptosis were analyzed in all groups.

RESULTS

The results indicated that voluntary exercise in VE + HFD group led to significantly increased GPX and SOD activities, SIRT1 protein expression, sperm parameters, and decreased the expression of miR34a gene and Acp53 protein, and cellular apoptosis index compared to HFD group (p<0.001 to p<0.05). The SOD and catalase activities, SIRT1 protein expression, sperm parameters in VE + HFD group were lower than of those of VE group, however, MDA content, expression of Acp53 protein, apoptosis indexes in VE + HFD group was higher than that of VE group (p<0.001 to p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that voluntary exercise improved spermatogenesis, in part by decreasing the testicular oxidative stress status, apoptosis through alteration in miR-34a/SIRT1/p53 pathway.

Effects of lifestyle factors on fertility: practical recommendations for modification

The role that lifestyle factors play in fertility issues has generated some amount of interest and questions among stakeholders. This review aims to highlight the impact of lifestyle behaviors on the fertility potential of an individual and what can be done to prevent or improve reproductive outcomes. Relevant published articles on the effect of lifestyle behaviors were obtained from Medline, Pubmed and Google scholar search engines for the study. The review of the literature indicates a negative impact of modifiable lifestyle factors such as fat-rich diets, delayed childbearing/age of starting family, smoking, alcohol misuse, sexual behavior, anxiety/depression and perception/beliefs were associated with fertility. The ensuing stress precipitates social behaviors such as excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, tobacco smoking, misuse of recreational drugs/medications, which increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and infection leading to infertility. Practical recommendations to modify lifestyle behaviors and the impact of misconception of Assisted Reproductive Technology in the treatment of infertility are discussed. The need to make appropriate behavioral changes to stem the tide of infertility in Nigeria is imperative. More reproductive health education is needed to create the necessary awareness of the etiologies of infertility and the importance of in vitro fertilization treatment as a means of conceiving 'natural' babies is suggested.

LAY SUMMARY

Scientific evidence has suggested that modifiable lifestyle factors (consumption fat-rich diets, delayed childbearing/age of starting family, smoking, alcohol misuse, sexual behavior, anxiety/depression and perception/beliefs) play important roles in the general health and wellbeing of individuals including fertility. Evidence exists of an association between lifestyle behaviors and infertility in both men and women. Understanding the various processes through which modifiable lifestyle behaviors impair fertility will help to assist in the management of affected individuals. We conducted a comprehensive review of published studies to assess how lifestyle factors inhibit fertility and practical ways to ameliorate them. This review also deals with the misconception of Assisted Reproductive Technology in the treatment of infertility. The need to make appropriate behavioral changes to stem the tide of infertility in Nigeria is imperative. More reproductive health education is needed to create the necessary awareness of the causes of infertility and the importance of in vitro fertilization in the treatment of infertility.

A decrease of docosahexaenoic acid in testes of mice fed a high-fat diet is associated with impaired sperm acrosome reaction and fertility

Obesity is a major worldwide health problem that is related to most chronic diseases, including male infertility. Owing to its wide impact on health, mechanisms underlying obesity-related infertility remain unknown. In this study, we report that mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for over 2 months showed reduced fertility rates and increased germ cell apoptosis, seminiferous tubule degeneration, and decreased intratesticular estradiol (E2) and E2-to-testosterone ratio. Interestingly, we also detected a decrease in testicular fatty acid levels, behenic acid (C22:0), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), which may be related to the production of dysfunctional spermatozoa. Overall, we did not detect any changes in the frequency of seminiferous tubule stages, sperm count, or rate of in vitro capacitation. However, there was an increase in spontaneous and progesterone-induced acrosomal exocytosis (acrosome reaction) in spermatozoa from HFD-fed mice. These data suggest that a decrease in E2 and fatty acid levels influences spermatogenesis and some steps of acrosome biogenesis that will have consequences for fertilization. Thus, our results add new evidence about the adverse effect of obesity in male reproduction and suggest that the acrosomal reaction can also be affected under this condition.

High fat diet consumption restricted to adolescence has minimal effects on adult executive function that vary by sex

Early life environment can have a lasting effect on brain development and behavior. Diet is a potent environmental factor that can positively or negatively affect neurodevelopment, and unfortunately, the likelihood of a poor diet is high during adolescence. Adverse effects of adolescent high fat diet have been observed on reward-related behaviors, reversal learning, and hippocampal-dependent learning tasks in rodents when tested in adulthood. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) continues to develop throughout adolescence and is thus vulnerable to environmental insults such as poor diet. Therefore, we sought to examine the effects of a high fat diet (HFD) consumed only during adolescence on later life adult PFC-dependent executive function. Male and female mice were fed a HFD (60% energy from fat) during either early or late adolescence then switched to standard chow and tested in a battery of touchscreen-based operant tests of executive function in adulthood. Contrary to our prediction of an adverse effect of HFD, there was no effect of adolescent HFD in males, and females showed faster learning and decreased inattention in adulthood. We conclude that the effects of adolescent-limited HFD on adult executive function are mild, positive, and vary by sex.

The effect of different types of exercise training on diet-induced obesity in rats, cross-talk between cell cycle proteins and apoptosis in testis

Obesity is associated with germ cell apoptosis, spermatogenesis arrest, and testicular endocrine suppression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the crosstalk between germ cell apoptosis and cell cycle machinery in sedentary and obese rats after moderate-intensity continuous (MICT), high-intensity continuous (HICT) and High-intensity interval (HIIT) exercise trainings. Male Wistar rats (n = 30) were randomly divided into 5 groups; the control, sedentary high-fat diet (HFD)-received (HFD-sole), MICT, HICT and HIIT-induced HFD-received groups. The serum levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride, and testosterone, mRNA and protein levels of Cyclin D1, Cdk4, p21, apoptotic cell number/mm² of testicular tissue and testicular DNA fragmentation ratio were investigated. The obese animals in HFD-sole group represented a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum HDL-C and testosterone levels, Cyclin D1, Cdk4 expressions, and exhibited a remarkable (p < 0.05) increment in LDL-C, triglyceride, p21 expression, apoptotic cell number and DNA fragmentation ratio versus control animals. However, the animals in MICT, HICT, HIIT groups exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) increment in serum HDL-C and testosterone, Cyclin D1 and Cdk4 expressions and showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum LDL-C and triglyceride, p21 expression, apoptotic cell number and DNA fragmentation versus the HFD-sole group. In conclusion, a crosslink between cell cycle machinery and apoptosis of germ cells was revealed in the testicles of HFD-sole animals, and MICT, HICT and HIIT could ameliorate the obesity-induced impairments, respectively. This effect may be attributed to the effect of exercise training protocols on maintaining Cyclin D1 and Cdk4 and suppressing p21 expression levels in the testicles.

Exposure to low doses of malathion during juvenile and peripubertal periods impairs testicular and sperm parameters in rats: Role of oxidative stress and testosterone

Malathion is an organophosphate insecticide used in agriculture and for controlling vector-borne diseases such as Zika. Humans can be exposed to malathion by means of ingestion of contaminated food. The juvenile and peripubertal periods are a large window of vulnerability to the action of toxic agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of low doses of malathion during the development of testes in the juvenile and peripubertal periods in rats. For this purpose, 45 male Wistar rats (postnatal day (PND) 25) were assigned to 3 experimental groups and treated for 40 days. The animals were exposed daily to malathion 10 mg/kg (M10 group) or 50 mg/kg (M50 group) diluted in 0.9 % saline via gavage. The control group received only the vehicle. On the 40th experimental day, the rats were anaesthetized and euthanized. The blood was collected for determination of testosterone concentration. The testes were removed and weighed. Spermatozoa from the vas deferens were used for sperm morphological analysis. The testes were used for evaluation of sperm count and oxidative stress status to determine the inflammatory profile and analysis of tissue constitution. The results showed that both malathion doses reduced the sperm count and increased the number of abnormal sperms. Furthermore, both doses altered the spermatogenetic process, delayed spermiogenesis, reduced the Leydig and Sertoli cell number and increased the thickness of tunica albuginea. The M10 group presented increased IL-10 levels and reduced GSH levels. These parameters did not change in the M50 group. However, the M50 group showed an increase in the number of abnormal seminiferous tubules, a decrease in plasma testosterone concentration and an increase in lipid peroxidation in the testes. In conclusion, the exposure to low doses of malathion during juvenile and peripubertal development resulted in testicular toxicity and compromised the testicular morphology and function.

Effect of Different Exercise Loads on Testicular Oxidative Stress and Reproductive Function in Obese Male Mice

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of different exercise loads on the reproductive function of obese male mice and the underlying mechanisms. Male mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity were divided into obesity control (OC), obesity moderate-load exercise (OME), and obesity high-load exercise (OHE) groups. The OME and OHE groups were subjected to swimming exercise 5 days per week over a duration of 8 weeks, with the exercise load progressively increased to 2 h per day in the OME group and 2 h twice per day in the OHE group. In the OC group mice without exercise regimen, we observed a decrease in mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes, increase in free radical products, upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of nuclear factor-κB and proinflammatory cytokines, inhibition of mRNA and protein expression of testosterone synthases, decrease in the serum testosterone level and sperm quality, and increase in sperm apoptosis. Although both moderate-load exercise and high-load exercise reduced body fat, only moderate-load exercise effectively alleviated obesity-induced oxidative stress, downregulated the expression of nuclear factor-κB and proinflammatory cytokines, and reversed the decrease in mRNA and protein expression of testosterone synthases, serum testosterone level, and sperm quality. These changes were not observed in the OHE group mice. Obesity-induced testicular oxidative stress and inflammatory response decreased testosterone synthesis and sperm quality. Moderate-load exercise alleviated the negative effect of obesity on male reproductive function by decreasing testicular oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Although high-load exercise effectively reduced body fat, its effects on alleviating oxidative stress and improving male reproductive function were limited.

A paternal hypercaloric diet affects the metabolism and fertility of F1 and F2 Wistar rat generations

Increased fat and carbohydrate intakes based on the Western diet are important lifestyle modifications that lead to hypercaloric inputs, obesity, and male fertility negative effects. Epigenetic transmission may also predispose descended generations to chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, behavioral, and reproductive disorders. The present study sought to evaluate the influence of a high-fat-high-sugar (HFHS) diet supplied to Wistar rats from 25 to 90 days of life on reproductive and metabolic parameters in male generations F0, F1, and F2. The standard group received the normocaloric - Nuvilab Quimtia® -3.86 kcal/kg. The hypercaloric diet (HD) group received the HFHS diet - PragSoluções® -4.77 kcal/kg. Body weight, adiposity, F1 and F2 prepubertal age evaluations, oral glucose tolerance test, insulin tolerance test, organ weights, sperm count and morphology assessments, and histometric testicular analyses were performed. The HFHS diet promoted dyslipidemia, higher adiposity, lower relative organ weights, and higher mean kidney weight, decreased mean testicle and parenchyma weights and lower height of seminiferous epithelium (HE) for the F0 generation. F1 and F2 offspring of HD group displayed early preprepubertal development, although did not alter the metabolic parameters. Decreased HE and tubular testicular compartment volumetric density and increased intertubular testicular compartment volumetric density and volume in the F1 generation of HD group were observed. Alterations in histometry of intertubular testicular compartment were also noted. It is concluded that the HFHS experimental model altered only paternal metabolic parameters. However, reproductive parameters of the three generations were affected.

Maternal and Post-weaning High-Fat Diets Produce Distinct DNA Methylation Patterns in Hepatic Metabolic Pathways within Specific Genomic Contexts

Calorie-dense high-fat diets (HF) are associated with detrimental health outcomes, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Both pre- and post-natal HF diets have been hypothesized to negatively impact long-term metabolic health via epigenetic mechanisms. To understand how the timing of HF diet intake impacts DNA methylation and metabolism, male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to either maternal HF (MHF) or post-weaning HF diet (PHF). At post-natal week 12, PHF rats had similar body weights but greater hepatic lipid accumulation compared to the MHF rats. Genome-wide DNA methylation was evaluated, and analysis revealed 1744 differentially methylation regions (DMRs) between the groups with the majority of the DMR located outside of gene-coding regions. Within differentially methylated genes (DMGs), intragenic DNA methylation closer to the transcription start site was associated with lower gene expression, whereas DNA methylation further downstream was positively correlated with gene expression. The insulin and phosphatidylinositol (PI) signaling pathways were enriched with 25 DMRs that were associated with 20 DMGs, including PI3 kinase (Pi3k), pyruvate kinase (Pklr), and phosphodiesterase 3 (Pde3). Together, these results suggest that the timing of HF diet intake determines DNA methylation and gene expression patterns in hepatic metabolic pathways that target specific genomic contexts.

Effect of aerobic exercise, low-fat and high-fat diet on the testis tissue and sperm parameters in obese and nonobese mice model

Semen quality and male fertility depend on numerous factors such as age, environment, lifestyle, physical activity, genetic background and occupation. We aimed to access the effect of aerobic exercise, low- and high-fat diet on mice testis tissue, and sperm function. Obese and nonobese male mice C57BL/6 were exposed to high fat (Hf) or low fat (Lf) and/or activity (Exe: exercise or Sed: sedentary). Finally, testicular morphometric characteristics, sperm concentration and motility (light microscopy), sperm morphology (eosin/nigrosin dye), lipid peroxidation (BODIPY C11 Probe), chromatin (acridine orange and chromomycin A3 staining) were compared within obese groups (Hf/Exe, Lf/Exe, Lf/Sed, Hf/Sed) and nonobese groups (Hf/Exe, Lf/Exe, Lf/Sed, Hf/Sed). Both exercise and diet interventions did not show any alteration in testicular morphological characteristics, sperm morphology and DNA fragmentation within both obese and nonobese groups (p > 0.05). Exercise and/or diet resulted in a significant increase in sperm concentration and motility within both groups (p < 0.05). Exercise in both groups leads to high percentage of lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05). Exercise intervention significantly improved sperm protamine deficiency within obese group (p < 0.05). We concluded that exercise intervention was more effective than diet in improvement of sperm function within obese groups.

Lifestyle and fertility: the influence of stress and quality of life on male fertility

BACKGROUND

Male infertility is a widespread condition among couples. In about 50% of cases, couple infertility is attributable to the male partner, mainly due to a failure in spermatogenesis. In recent times, the crucial role that modifiable lifestyle factors play in the development of infertility have generated a growing interest in this field of study, i.e. aging, psychological stress, nutrition, physical activity, caffeine, high scrotal temperature, hot water, mobile telephone use. Several studies have investigated associations between semen quality and the presence of lifestyle stressors i.e. occupational, life events (war, earthquake, etc.) or couple infertility; overall, these studies provide evidence that semen quality is impaired by psychological stress. In this review, we will discuss the impact of quality of life (modifiable lifestyle factors) and psychological stress on male fertility. In addition, the role that increased scrotal temperature along with inappropriate nutritional and physical exercise attitudes exert on male fertility will be presented.

CONCLUSION

The decline of male fertility, particularly associated with advancing age, incorrect lifestyles and environmental factors plays an important role on natality, and its consequences on the future on human population makes this an important public health issue in this century. Thus, modification of lifestyle through a structured program of educational, environmental, nutritional/physical exercise and psychological support, combined with the use of nutraceutical antioxidants can prevent infertility and therefore, may help couples to obtain better quality of life and improved possibility to conceive spontaneously or optimize their chances of conception.

Exposure to an obesogenic diet during adolescence leads to abnormal maturation of neural and behavioral substrates underpinning fear and anxiety

BACKGROUND

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obesity are highly prevalent in adolescents. Emerging findings from our laboratory and others are consistent with the novel hypothesis that obese individuals may be predisposed to developing PTSD. Given that aberrant fear responses are pivotal in the pathogenesis of PTSD, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of an obesogenic Western-like high-fat diet (WD) on neural substrates associated with fear.

METHODS

Adolescent Lewis rats (n = 72) were fed with either the experimental WD (41.4% kcal from fat) or the control diet. The fear-potentiated startle paradigm was used to determine sustained and phasic fear responses. Diffusion tensor imaging metrics and T2 relaxation times were used to determine the structural integrity of the fear circuitry including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA).

RESULTS

The rats that consumed the WD exhibited attenuated fear learning and fear extinction. These behavioral impairments were associated with oversaturation of the fear circuitry and astrogliosis. The BLA T2 relaxation times were significantly decreased in the WD rats relative to the controls. We found elevated fractional anisotropy in the mPFC of the rats that consumed the WD. We show that consumption of a WD may lead to long-lasting damage to components of the fear circuitry.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that consumption of an obesogenic diet during adolescence has a profound impact in the maturation of the fear neurocircuitry. The implications of this research are significant as they identify potential biomarkers of risk for psychopathology in the growing obese population.