Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function
Aging is associated with testicular morphological and functional alterations, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and the impact of physical exercise are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of age and lifelong moderate-intensity exercise on rat testis. Mature adults (35 wee...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/19/11619 |
| _version_ | 1797478998191636480 |
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| author | Joana V. Silva Joana Santiago Bárbara Matos Magda C. Henriques Daniela Patrício Ana D. Martins José A. Duarte Rita Ferreira Marco G. Alves Paula Oliveira Pedro F. Oliveira Margarida Fardilha |
| author_facet | Joana V. Silva Joana Santiago Bárbara Matos Magda C. Henriques Daniela Patrício Ana D. Martins José A. Duarte Rita Ferreira Marco G. Alves Paula Oliveira Pedro F. Oliveira Margarida Fardilha |
| author_sort | Joana V. Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging is associated with testicular morphological and functional alterations, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and the impact of physical exercise are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of age and lifelong moderate-intensity exercise on rat testis. Mature adults (35 weeks) and middle-aged (61 weeks) Wistar Unilever male rats were maintained as sedentary or subjected to a lifelong moderate-intensity treadmill training protocol. Testis weight and histology, mitochondrial biogenesis and function, and proteins involved in protein synthesis and stress response were evaluated. Our results illustrate an age-induced testicular atrophy that was associated with alterations in stress response, and mitochondrial biogenesis and function. Aging was associated with increased testicular levels of heat shock protein beta-1 (HSP27) and antioxidant enzymes. Aging was also associated with decreased mRNA abundance of the nuclear respiratory factor 1 (<i>Nrf1</i>), a key transcription factor for mitochondrial biogenesis, which was accompanied by decreased protein levels of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) complexes subunits in the testes of older animals. On the other hand, exercise did not protect against age-induced testicular atrophy and led to deleterious effects on sperm morphology. Exercise led to an even more pronounced decrease in the <i>Nrf1</i> mRNA levels in testes of both age groups and was associated with decreased mRNA abundance of other mitochondrial biogenesis markers and decreased protein levels of OXPHOS complexes subunits. Lifelong moderate-intensity exercise training was also associated with an increase in testicular oxidative stress markers and possibly with reduced translation. Together, our results indicate that exercise did not protect against age-induced testicular atrophy and was not associated with beneficial changes in mitochondria and stress response, further activating mechanisms of protein synthesis inhibition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:39:35Z |
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| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:39:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca173bea7e5f46adb6f628cb9e398c362023-11-23T20:36:22ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-10-0123191161910.3390/ijms231911619Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular FunctionJoana V. Silva0Joana Santiago1Bárbara Matos2Magda C. Henriques3Daniela Patrício4Ana D. Martins5José A. Duarte6Rita Ferreira7Marco G. Alves8Paula Oliveira9Pedro F. Oliveira10Margarida Fardilha11Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalUnit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalResearch Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, PortugalQOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalUnit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalCentre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Inov4Agro, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, PortugalQOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine—iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalAging is associated with testicular morphological and functional alterations, but the underlying molecular mechanisms and the impact of physical exercise are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of age and lifelong moderate-intensity exercise on rat testis. Mature adults (35 weeks) and middle-aged (61 weeks) Wistar Unilever male rats were maintained as sedentary or subjected to a lifelong moderate-intensity treadmill training protocol. Testis weight and histology, mitochondrial biogenesis and function, and proteins involved in protein synthesis and stress response were evaluated. Our results illustrate an age-induced testicular atrophy that was associated with alterations in stress response, and mitochondrial biogenesis and function. Aging was associated with increased testicular levels of heat shock protein beta-1 (HSP27) and antioxidant enzymes. Aging was also associated with decreased mRNA abundance of the nuclear respiratory factor 1 (<i>Nrf1</i>), a key transcription factor for mitochondrial biogenesis, which was accompanied by decreased protein levels of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) complexes subunits in the testes of older animals. On the other hand, exercise did not protect against age-induced testicular atrophy and led to deleterious effects on sperm morphology. Exercise led to an even more pronounced decrease in the <i>Nrf1</i> mRNA levels in testes of both age groups and was associated with decreased mRNA abundance of other mitochondrial biogenesis markers and decreased protein levels of OXPHOS complexes subunits. Lifelong moderate-intensity exercise training was also associated with an increase in testicular oxidative stress markers and possibly with reduced translation. Together, our results indicate that exercise did not protect against age-induced testicular atrophy and was not associated with beneficial changes in mitochondria and stress response, further activating mechanisms of protein synthesis inhibition.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/19/11619agingphysical exercisetesticular atrophymitochondrial functionprotein synthesisstress response |
| spellingShingle | Joana V. Silva Joana Santiago Bárbara Matos Magda C. Henriques Daniela Patrício Ana D. Martins José A. Duarte Rita Ferreira Marco G. Alves Paula Oliveira Pedro F. Oliveira Margarida Fardilha Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function International Journal of Molecular Sciences aging physical exercise testicular atrophy mitochondrial function protein synthesis stress response |
| title | Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function |
| title_full | Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function |
| title_short | Effects of Age and Lifelong Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training on Rats’ Testicular Function |
| title_sort | effects of age and lifelong moderate intensity exercise training on rats testicular function |
| topic | aging physical exercise testicular atrophy mitochondrial function protein synthesis stress response |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/19/11619 |
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