Joseph Bagi Suleiman1,2, Ainul Bahiya Abu Bakar1, Mahanem Mat Noor3, Victor Udo Nna4, Zaidatul Akmal Othman1,5, Zaida Zakaria1, Chinedum Ogbonnaya Eleazu6, Mahaneem Mohamed1,7. 1. Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. 2. Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. 3. Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor. 4. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. 5. Unit of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia. 6. Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. 7. Unit of Integrative Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The pituitary-gonadal axis plays an important role in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis and by extension, fertility. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of bee bread, which is a natural bee product, against obesity-induced decreases in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. METHODS: Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 200-300 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 weeks (HFD+B), HFD plus orlistat administered concurrently for 12 weeks (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 weeks. RESULTS: 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 and malondialdehyde, and sperm nDNA fragmentation increased significantly in HFD group relative to NC group. There were significant decreases in the testicular mRNA transcript and protein 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. Further, mount latency, mount frequency, intromission, ejaculation, penile iNOS and cGMP levels deceased 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. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Bee bread improved spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis by upregulating steroidogenic genes. Therefore, bee bread may be considered as a potential supplementation to protect against infertility in overweight or obese men.
BACKGROUND: The pituitary-gonadal axis plays an important role in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis and by extension, fertility. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of bee bread, which is a natural bee product, against obesity-induced decreases in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. METHODS: Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 200-300 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 weeks (HFD+B), HFD plus orlistat administered concurrently for 12 weeks (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 weeks. RESULTS: 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 and malondialdehyde, and sperm nDNA fragmentation increased significantly in HFD group relative to NC group. There were significant decreases in the testicular mRNA transcript and protein 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. Further, mount latency, mount frequency, intromission, ejaculation, penile iNOS and cGMP levels deceased 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. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Bee bread improved spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis by upregulating steroidogenic genes. Therefore, bee bread may be considered as a potential supplementation to protect against infertility in overweight or obesemen.
Authors: Andrey A Bakhtyukov; Kira V Derkach; Viktor N Sorokoumov; Anna M Stepochkina; Irina V Romanova; Irina Yu Morina; Irina O Zakharova; Liubov V Bayunova; Alexander O Shpakov Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2021-12-24 Impact factor: 5.923