Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can alleviate estrogen deficiency symptoms especially during menopause. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of soy isoflavones as HRT on immunological and bone health-related parameters with a special focus on the interactions between immunological status and metabolism. Thirty healthy cyclic female Wistar rats were used in this experiment. Ten females were sham-operated, and 20 females were subjected to ovariectomy. Overiectomized (OVX) female rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: the control group (G1, OVX/casein) was fed a casein-based diet, and the second group (G2, OVX/soy) was fed a high soy isoflavone diet. Both groups were compared to a sham-operated group (G3, sham/casein). Treatments continued for 7 weeks. Feed intake, weight gain, and lymphoid organ relative weights were recorded. Some metabolic, immunological, and bone health-related parameters were measured. Moreover, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined. Bone histopathology and immunohistochemistry to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) were done. Feeding soy to OVX females reduced feed intake, weight gain, relative lymphoid organ weight, and T-lymphocytes transformation. Soy isoflavone administration normalized nearly all metabolic and immunological parameters to a level comparable to the sham group via oxidative stress amelioration and bone ERα promotion. Soy isoflavones seemed to be good HRT in estrogen deprivation which modulated the appetite, weight gain, lipid profile, proinflammation, and bone turnover.

Highlights Obesity contributes to male infertility. Can lycopene or moringa improve male infertility? Tested in a rodent model of diet-induced obesity. Lycopene was superior to Moringa in improving male fertility parameters.

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Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and recurrent attempts for losing weight are very common. Diet cycling predisposes to health hazards including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Aim: to evaluate the effect of diet cycling on the course of NAFLD. Materials and methods: Seventy-two male albino Sprague-Dawly rats were used in the study. Rats were equally divided into three groups: Normal rat chow diet (NCD) control group, high fat diet (HFD) group, and diet cycling group. NCD and HFD groups were kept on NCD and HFD respectively for the overall experimental period. Diet cycling group was fed with HFD for eight weeks to induce NAFLD, and then shifted to NCD for four weeks, followed by HFD for four weeks to allow rebound weight gain. By the end of eight, twelve and sixteen weeks, eight rats from each group were randomly selected and evaluated for body mass index (BMI), liver index, lipid profile, free fatty acids, liver enzymes, homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1).+ Hepatic oxidative stress enzymes were also measured. Liver histopathology and alphasmooth-muscle actin (α-SMA) immunoreactivity were evaluated. Results: Diet cycling group showed significant increase in BMI, Liver index, serum inflammatory markers, and concomitant significant decrease in hepatic glutathione peroxidase levels. In addition, marked fatty and inflammatory infiltrations were observed in diet cycling group. Conclusion: Diet cycling had a negative influence on NAFLD and interfered with normal liver function. These results suggest that rebound weight gain negatively affect the course of NAFLD.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used and environmentally spread plasticizer. BPA has various toxic effects, including immunological alterations. Aim: Current work aimed to investigate the effect of BPA and protection with lycopene (LYC) on immunological parameters. Material and Methods: Twenty-four male albino were divided into 4 equal groups. Control group received corn oil, LYC group was given LYC 5 mg/kg, BPA group was given BPA at 5 mg/kg. Last group was given combination of BPA and LYC the same previous doses. Treatments were given daily via oral gavage for 4 weeks. Weight gain, food conversion ratio (FCR), hematological parameters and lymphocytes proliferation assay were determined. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and lymphocytes comet assay were evaluated. Spleen and thymus histopathological assessment was done. Results: BPA significantly (P<0.05) increased FCR while decreased lymphocytes proliferation than control group however, hematological parameters didn't alter. Serum TAC was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in BPA group than control group while MDA, IL-1β and IL-12 were significantly (p<0.05) increased than control group. Lymphocyte showed significant increase in comet tail and % of damage. Thymus and spleen revealed mild lymphoid depletion. Conclusion: BPA induced immunological perturbations that favors pro-inflammation and autoimmunity. LYC administration ameliorated oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation induced immunological disorders.