Effects of short- and long-term regular exercise on reproductive tissue in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats

Abstract

Objective. Reproductive disorders are one of the complications of diabetes mellitus. Since conflicting results have been obtained from different studies, which examined serum levels of cytokines in patients with diabetes, and considering the fact that the origin of cytokines cannot be accurately determined from their serum changes, attempts were made in the present study to study histological changes and testicular tissue levels of TNF-α and IL-1 in rats treated with exercise. Considering the effects of exercise in reducing blood sugar level and its complications, two types of short-term and long-term regular exercises were also considered to evaluate their effects on male reproductive tissues.Methods. In this study, 60 male rats with the weight range of 250±50 g were used and were randomly divided into six groups (10 rats each). Healthy groups included sedentary control group, and groups treated with two and eight weeks of exercise. Rats with type 1 diabetes (induced by streptozotocin) included sedentary control group, groups treated with two and eight weeks of exercise (six groups). All groups were evaluated in terms of testicular tissue levels of TNF-α and IL-1 using ELISA and the histometry of spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, Sertoli cells, epithelial thickness, diameter of veins, and thickness of the seminiferous tubule.Results. Histological changes resulting from diabetes, particularly in the diameter of testicular veins and a number of cells, including Sertoli, highlights the important fact that tissue perfusion in patients with diabetes is especially crucial, in a way that exercise proved useful for tissue structures by offsetting this complication. Measurement of the cytokines IL-1 and TNF-α in the current study showed that perfusion problems are more important in diabetic complications than inflammatory factors.Conclusions. The main result of this research is recommendation of investigating the tissue of interest for diagnosis of diabetes complications, measuring inflammatory mediators of tissue rather than evaluating their serum concentrations, and focusing on vascular complications as a major complication of diabetes. Furthermore, regular exercise could help improve the function of reproductive organs in healthy groups and prevent diabetes infertility complications to an acceptable degree in diabetic groups.

Spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis disruption in a model of metabolic syndrome rats

“…Notably, it has been reported that the impairment of the sperm parameters in obese and diabetes models is associated with inflammatory reactions (Wang et al 2018), which play an important role in male infertility (Mogaddami et al 2018). In this model, MetS led to inflammatory responses in the testis involving increase of expression IL-6R mRNA and IL-1R mRNA (the receptors of IL-1 and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines).…”

Investigating the therapeutic options for diabetes‐associated male infertility as illustrated in animal experimental models

“…Mogaddami et al reported a positive effect of exercise in reducing blood sugar levels and increasing the number of primary spermatocytes in SZID rats. Exercise also ameliorated diabetes induced endothelium damage, which results in decreased vessel epithelium thickness (Mogaddami et al, 2018).…”

Diabetes-induced male infertility: potential mechanisms and treatment options

“…A comparison of the spatial maps that testis produced in normal and diabetic mice revealed the destruction of the spatial cells and tissues of spermatogenic tubules in diabetic mice, resulting in spermatogenic disorders (Chen et al 2021 ). In addition, diabetes can also cause histological changes in testicular veins and the diameter of sertoil cells, resulting in decreased tissue perfusion and affecting testicular function (Mogaddami et al 2018 ). The mechanism of testicular dysfunction is closely related to the above complex pathophysiological changes in diabetes.…”

“…In addition, animal experiments have shown that diabetes often causes histological changes in the male reproductive system, especially changes in the diameter of testicular veins and sertoil cells and the thickness of convoluted seminiferous tubules, leading to tissue perfusion abnormalities of reproductive organs. Short and long-term regular exercise can improve the adverse changes in these histologies to restore normal tissue perfusion and effectively improve reproductive disorders (Mogaddami et al 2018 ). A related systematic review and meta-analysis showed that combined aerobic and resistance training (CET) appears to be the best form of exercise for improving male fertility, but its overall efficacy remains controversial (Hajizadeh Maleki et al 2022 ).…”