A high‐fat diet negatively affects rat sperm mitochondrial respiration

Abstract

SUMMARYRecent evidences have linked abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia to male infertility. Since a defective energy metabolism may play an important role in the impairment of sperm quality, the aim of this study is to investigate the sperm energetic metabolism in rats fed with a high-fat diet, an animal model associated with metabolic syndrome development. Sexually mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups and fed for 4 weeks a standard diet (control group) or a diet enriched in 35% of fat (high fat group). Liver and adipose tissue weight, plasma glucose, insulin, and lipid concentrations were determined. Activities of enzymes involved in sperm energetic metabolism were evaluated by spectrophotometric assays. Sperm mitochondrial respiratory activity was evaluated with a polarographic assay of oxygen consumption. The administration of a high-fat diet caused a significant increase in body weight of rats and provoked hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia. In these animals, we also observed a reduction in sperm concentration and motility. The investigation of sperm energetic metabolism in animals fed a high-fat diet revealed an impairment in the activity of pyruvate and lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, and respiratory chain complexes. A parallel reduction in the cellular levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and an increase in oxidative damage were also observed. A defective energy metabolism may play an important role in the impairment of sperm quality in the high-fat diet fed rats.

Transgenerational Inheritance of Reproductive and Metabolic Phenotypes in PCOS Rats

“…Brothers of PCOS women show elevated levels of total cholesterol, LDL, TG and insulin as well as insulin resistance (40). We notice lower quality of sperms in male offspring, which could result from insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and hyperandrogenism (41,42). However, the relatively few clinical reports on this issue request further investigation.…”

Dietary fatty acids influence sperm quality and function

“…Several studies suggest that alterations in lipid metabolism may affect semen quality and fertility (Shalaby et al ., ; Saez Lancellotti et al ., ; Bobjer et al ., ; Hagiuda et al ., ). In this context, the model of diet‐induced obesity in rats has been recently used to investigate sperm dysfunction (Ferramosca et al ., ). In particular, rats fed a diet with a high amount (35%) of fat, containing also 15% sucrose, showed defects in sperm energy metabolism, regarding both glycolytic and mitochondrial reactions capable of generating ATP.…”

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids affect volume and metabolism of Drosophila melanogaster sperm

“…The diet's fat content or composition also affects sperm parameters. For example, sperm concentration and total count in humans (Jensen et al, ) and sperm motility in rats (Femandes et al, ; Ferramosca, Conte, Moscatelli, & Zara, ) were reduced after consumption of more saturated fat. Sperm competitiveness increased in guppies (Rahman, Gasparini, Turchini, & Evans, ) with higher concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), whereas sperm motility increased in sheep (Samadian et al, ), but decreased in rainbow trout (Vassallo‐Agius, Watanabe, Yoshizaki, Satoh, & Takeuchi, ) under these conditions, independent of any possible indirect effects of obesity (which is also associated with reduced fertility).…”