Zinc alleviates high fat diet-induced spermatogenic dysfunction in Wistar rats: role of oxidative stress, HMGB1 and inflammasome

El zinc alivia la disfunción espermatogénica inducida por una dieta rica en grasas en ratas Wistar: papel del estrés oxidativo, HMGB1 y el inflamasoma

Whether chronic inflammation in the genital tract induced by obesity shares in spermatogenic dysfunction is not clearly known. We aimed to study the effect of high fat diet (HFD) on spermatogenesis, seminal oxidative stress (malondialdehyde (MDA)) and inflammatory markers (high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin-3 domain containing (NLRP3)) in the rat testes and the role of zinc on testicular dysfunction and chronic inflammation in high fat diet (HFD) fed rat testes. This parallel group comparative experimental study included 36 male wistar rats divided into 3 groups: group A (fed on normal control diet); group B (fed on high fat diet (HFD) only); and group C (fed on HFD with zinc supplementation 3.2 mg/kg/day orally). At the end of the 12th week, sperm count, viability and motility were assessed by computer-assisted seemen analysis (CASA), seminal malondialdehyde measured by calorimetry and histopathological examination of testicular sections was done. Immunohistochemical staining was done for HMGB1 and NLRP3 evaluation. Sperm count was lowest in group B. Groups A and C showed statistically significant higher mean sperm vitality, total and progressive motility scores (p < 0.001), while no difference was found between the groups A and C (p > 0.05). Seminal malondialdehyde level was significantly highest in group B. Tubular diameter, epithelial height and Johnsen score were significantly lowest in group B. Significantly higher HMGB1 and NLRP3 levels were demonstrated in group B (p < 0.001). Obesity is associated with testicular dysfunction, testicular oxidative stress and increased testicular HMGB1 and NLRP3. We suggest a beneficial effect of zinc on testicular function in HFD-rats.

Resumen

No se sabe claramente si la inflamación crónica en el tracto genital inducida por la obesidad participa en la disfunción espermatogénica. Nuestro objetivo fue estudiar el efecto de una dieta alta en grasas sobre la espermatogénesis, el estrés oxidativo seminal y los marcadores inflamatorios en los testículos de ratas y el papel del zinc en la disfunción testicular y la inflamación crónica en una dieta alta en grasas testículos de ratas alimentadas. Este estudio experimental comparativo incluyó 36 ratas wistar macho divididas en 3 grupos: grupo A (alimentadas con una dieta de control); grupo B (alimentados únicamente con una dieta alta en grasas); y el grupo C (alimentado con dieta alta en grasas con suplementación de zinc). Se evaluó el recuento, la vitalidad y la motilidad de los espermatozoides mediante un sistema análisis de semen asistido por computadora, se midió el malondialdehído seminal mediante calorimetría y se realizó un examen histopatológico de las secciones testiculares. Se realizó tinción inmunohistoquímica para la evaluación de (grupo de cajas de movilidad alta 1, inflamasoma 3). Los grupos A y C mostraron puntuaciones medias estadísticamente significativas más altas de vitalidad espermática, motilidad total y progresiva, mientras que no se encontraron diferencias entre los grupos A y C. El nivel de malondialdehído seminal fue significativamente más alto en el grupo B. El diámetro tubular, la altura epitelial y la puntuación de Johnsen fueron significativamente más bajos en el grupo B. Se demostraron niveles significativamente más altos de HMGB1 y NLRP3 en el grupo B. Sugerimos un efecto beneficioso del zinc sobre la función testicular en ratas HFD.

Obesity; Male infertility; Inflammasome; HMGB1; Oxidative stress; Zinc

Palabras Clave

Obesidad; Infertilidad masculina; Inflamasoma; HMGB1; Estrés oxidativo; Zinc

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