O tratamento com resveratrol atenua alterações metabólicas, espermáticas e testiculares em ratos Wistar adultos alimentados com uma dieta de cafeteria

Abstract

The association between the cafeteria diet, oxidative stress and reduced male reproductive function has been well documented. Antioxidants can be used to neutralize free radicals and mitigate the damage done to the testicles by the CAF diet. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of resveratrol administration on the metabolic, sperm and testicular parameters of rats fed a CAF diet. At weaning, male Wistar rats were divided into 2 experimental groups: the control (C; n = 20) and cafeteria (CAF, n = 16) group. At 3 months, half of them were given daily supplementations of resveratrol (C-R, n = 10; CAF-R, n = 8) at a dosage of 30 mg / kg body weight for 2 months. The CAF diet was made in the laboratory from the following components: commercial chow (60 g / 100 g), condensed milk (25 g / 100 g) and hydrogenated fat (15 g / 100 g). The CAF diet provided a total of 550 kcal / 100 g. The animals were sacrificed at 5 months of age. In the animals, biometric data (food intake, body mass, systolic blood pressure) and metabolic parameters (fasting glycemia, oral glucose tolerance test) were evaluated. At euthanasia, the blood was collected for further analysis. Spermatozoa were collected from the tail of the epididymis to evaluate sperm parameters (viability, motility and concentration) and the testes were removed for histomorphometric analysis. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and p <0.05 was considered significant. There were no differences in dietary intake, weight gain and systolic blood pressure among the groups. The CAF diet promoted hyperglycemia (p <0.0001), and treatment with resveratrol reversed this condition (p <0.0001). As for the sperm, the CAF diet reduced viability and motility, while resveratrol improved these parameters (p <0.05). However there was no difference in sperm concentration among the groups. Regarding testicular morphology, the diameter of the seminiferous tubules did not differ among the groups. In contrast, the height of the seminiferous epithelium was reduced in the CAF group compared to that of the C group (p = 0.0007). Spermatogenic cell proliferation was also reduced in the CAF group compared to that of the C group. However, the resveratrol-treated CAF group (CAF-R) showed an increase in the cell proliferation rate compared that of the untreated CAF group (p = 0.0024). Although it did not modify body mass, the consumption of a CAF diet promoted hyperglycemia, adverse testicular morphology remodeling and abnormal sperm parameters, which were attenuated by treatment with resveratrol. These data may suggest a protective effect of this antioxidant on spermatogenesis.