High-fructose diet during puberty alters the sperm parameters, testosterone concentration, and histopathology of testes and epididymis in adult Wistar rats

Abstract

The consumption of fructose has increased in children and adolescents and is partially responsible for the high incidence of metabolic diseases. The lifestyle during postnatal development can result in altered metabolic programming, thereby impairing the reproductive system and fertility during adulthood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high-fructose diet in the male reproductive system of pubertal and adult rats. Male Wistar rats (30 d old) were assigned to four different groups: Fr30, which received fructose (20%) in water for 30 d and were euthanized at postnatal day (PND) 60; Re-Fr30, which received fructose (20%) for 30 d and were euthanized at PND 120; and two control groups C30 and Re-C30, which received water ad libitum and were euthanized at PND 60 and 120, respectively. Fructose induced an increase in abnormal seminiferous tubules with epithelial vacuoles, degeneration, and immature cells in the lumen. Moreover, Fr30 rats showed altered spermatogenesis and daily sperm production (DSP), as well as increased serum testosterone concentrations. After discontinuing high-fructose consumption, DSP and sperm number decreased significantly. We observed tissue remodeling in the epididymis, with a reduction in stromal and epithelial compartments that might have influenced sperm motility. Therefore, we concluded that fructose intake in peripubertal rats led to changes in the reproductive system observed both during puberty and adulthood.

Impact of Maternal Intake of Artificial Sweetener, Acesulfame-K, on Metabolic and Reproductive Health Outcomes in Male and Female Mouse Offspring

“…Fructose increased plasma testosterone in male, but not female, offspring compared to both CD and AS groups. This agrees with a previous study where peripubertal male Wistar rats were fed Fr for 30 days, resulting in increased plasma testosterone concentrations and impaired testicular and epididymal development ( 41 ). This study was particularly interested in the reproductive health of female offspring, given the propensity to influence the next generation and the subjectivity around assessing the puberty onset of the male offspring.…”

Maternal Fructose Diet-Induced Developmental Programming

“…Very little is known about the developmental programming impact of paternal fructose consumption. Fructose consumption does have a clear impact on sperm production and testicular development during puberty [ 48 ]. This exposure may also alter the epigenetic architecture of sperm DNA, which could have consequences for future offspring.…”

The impact of dietary fructose on gut permeability, microbiota, abdominal adiposity, insulin signaling and reproductive function

“…Also, it was determined a decrease in sperm count and motility, but an increase in abnormal sperm morphology due to excess fructose consumption in rats [ 201 , [203] , [204] , [205] , [206] , [207] ]. Dietary high-fructose was also demonstrated to cause degeneration in the Sertoli cell and seminiferous tubule as well as a reduction in germ cell number [ 201 , 202 , 206 , 208 , 209 ]. It was also determined to produce architectural distortion with a high apoptosis index in seminiferous epithelial cells of rat testis [ 206 ].…”