Effect of Experimental Diabetes and STZ on Male Fertility Capacity. Study in Rats

• Published in: Journal of andrology 2010-11, Vol.31 (6), p.584-592
• Main Authors: Navarro‐Casado, L., Juncos‐Tobarra, M. A., Cháfer‐Rudilla, M., Onzoño, L. Íñiguez, Blázquez‐Cabrera, J. A., Miralles‐García, J. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - pathology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - pathology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Epididymis - pathology; Epididymis - physiopathology; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Fertility; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Infertility, Male - etiology; Infertility, Male - pathology; Infertility, Male - physiopathology; Male; Male genital diseases; Mammalian male genital system; Medical sciences; Organ Size; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; semen; Semen Analysis; sperm; testis; Testis - pathology; Testis - physiopathology; Testosterone - blood; Vertebrates: reproduction
• ISSN: 0196-3635; 1939-4640
• DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.108.007260

To assess the effect of experimental Type 1 diabetes on male fertility, male Sprague Dawley rats were injected with either streptozotocine (STZ) to induce diabetes or with citrate buffer as controls. Diabetic animals and 2 control groups (STZ‐resistant and buffer‐injected rats) were sacrificed at 2 different times after injection: 6 weeks (6W) and 20 weeks (20W). We analyzed serum testosterone (sTT), epididymal sperm parameters, and weight of testicles and epididymides, and carried out a histological evaluation of testicular tissue. Diabetic animals presented a significant increase in teratozoospermia (20W, P < .01) and a decrease in sTT (P < .01), tubular diameter (6W, P < .05), and testicular (6W, P < .01) and epididymal (P < .01) weight. STZ‐resistant animals showed significantly decreased sTT (6W, P < .01), epididymal weight (6W, P < .05), and sperm count (6W, P < .01) compared with buffer–injected controls. Experimental STZ diabetes increases teratozoospermia and decreases sTT, testicular weight (reverting at medium‐term), and epididymal weight.