Irisin Improves High-Fat Diet-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Obese Male Rats

Abstract

Obesity is known to cause sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction and poor semen quality. Lifestyle modifications such as exercise have increasingly been more recognized to lower the likelihood of having sexual dysfunction or infertility in obese men. In this context, as an exercise-mimetic hormone, irisin have a potential to improve obesity-related reproductive dysfunctions. We aimed to elucidate possible effects of irisin on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced reproductive dysfunction in obese male rats. Methods: Rats were divided into four groups: vehicle, irisin, obese, and obese+irisin. The rats in obese and obese+irisin groups were fed with HFD (60% kcal fat) pellets for 12 weeks to induce obesity, and then obesity-induced sexual dysfunction was confirmed by sexual behavior test (SBT). Irisin and obese+irisin groups received irisin (100 ng/kg/day) infusion by s.c. osmotic-minipump for 4-weeks after HFD-induced obesity was formed. Results: Irisin did improve a number of measures of copulation, including penile erection, ejaculation, and sexual performance, and also improved sperm morphology and motility, and decreased fat-induced testicular damage. It decreased serum leptin levels. On the other hand, irisin did not affect serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. It also increased gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and adrenoceptor alpha 1A in the medial preoptic area and nucleus accumbens. Conclusion: Irisin provided a marked enhancement of HFD-induced decrease in libido, potency, sexual performance, and erection in SBT. Taken together, our results emphasize that irisin has a restorative and improver role in HFD-induced reproductive dysfunctions in obese male rats.

Sarcopenia and Diabetes: A Detrimental Liaison of Advancing Age

“…Testosterone replacement treatment in male functional hypogonadism, including patients with T2D, is associated with a significant increase in irisin concentration [ 241 ]. Conversely, peripheral but not intracerebral irisin administration improve testosterone levels and biologically related consequences such as sexual function and spermatogenesis [ 242 , 243 , 244 ].…”

Bezafibrate alleviates diabetes-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress

“…2 ). Considering previous studies illustrated that adipokines participated in the process of male infertility [ 32 , [53] , [54] , [55] , [56] ], we detected the adipokines level of DM mice after bezafibrate treatment and found that bezafibrate increased testicular adiponectin and irisin levels without affecting leptin and CTRP3 levels ( Fig. 1 G–J).…”

Association of BMI with erectile dysfunction: A cross-sectional study of men from an andrology clinic

“…Evidence from animals to humans has reported that obesity plays a key role in male sexual dysfunction, including premature ejaculation and ED, although ED is mainly considered an age-related disease ( 21 , 22 ). It has been demonstrated not only that obesity is a strong and independent risk factor for ED but also that ED risk is positively correlated with the level of obesity ( 7 ).…”