The effect of diet induced obesity on testicular tissue and serum oxidative stress parameters

• Published in: Actas urologicas españolas 2012-03, Vol.36 (3), p.153-159
• Main Authors: Erdemir, F, Atilgan, D, Markoc, F, Boztepe, O, Suha-Parlaktas, B, Sahin, S
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; spa
• Subjects: Anastrazole; Anastrozol; Animals; Aromatase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Biomarkers; Body Weight; Catalase - blood; Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects; Estrés oxidativo; Glutathione - blood; Gonadal Steroid Hormones - blood; Infertilidad masculina; Infertility, Male - blood; Infertility, Male - etiology; Lipid Peroxidation; Lipids - blood; Male; Male infertility; Nitric Oxide - blood; Nitriles - therapeutic use; Obesidad; Obesity; Obesity - etiology; Obesity - metabolism; Oxidative Stress; Pituitary Hormones, Anterior - blood; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Spermatogenesis; Superoxide Dismutase - blood; Superoxide Dismutase-1; Testis - metabolism; Testis - pathology; Testosterona; Testosterone; Triazoles - therapeutic use; Urology
• ISSN: 2173-5786; 2173-5786; 1699-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/j.acuroe.2012.05.003

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet induced obesity on semen parameters and serum antioxidant enzyme levels. Material and methods Six-week-old male rats were randomized into three groups as follows: group 1 ( n = 10) received a control diet, group 2 ( n = 9) received a high-fat diet and group 3 ( n = 11) received high-fat diet plus anastrozole. At the completion of a 10-week period, testicular tissues were obtained and spermatogenesis was evaluated with Johnsen Score System. The normal Johnsen Score was accepted as >9.39. In addition, serum antioxidant enzyme levels, triglyceride, cholesterol, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol levels were measured in serum. Results Body weights were significantly increased in mice fed with a high-fat diet compared to normal diet ( P < .05). The mean triglyceride levels were 64.00 ± 20.48 mg/dl, 98.89 ± 27.80 mg/dl and 95.27 ± 15.02 mg/dl in group 1, group 2 and group 3, respectively ( P < .05). Male rats fed with a high-fat diet had significantly lower levels of testosterone compared with the control diet male rats ( P = .005). Testicular pathology revealed that Johnsen score were 9.60 ± 0.15, 8.72 ± 1.81 and 9.29 in group 1, group 2 and group 3, respectively ( P = .169). In addition serum nitric oxide (NO) levels were higher in group 2 and group 3 compared to group 1 ( P < .05). Conclusion As a result it may be concluded that obesity may induce oxidative stress and decrease testosterone levels. These changes may alter testicular functions and consequently it may be speculated that obesity can be an important causative factor in the etiology of the male infertility.