Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction

Increasing reports on the significance of dietary patterns in reproduction have arisen from both animal and human studies, suggesting an interactive association between nutrition and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on low-carbohydrate-...

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Main Authors: Chih-Wei Tsao, Pei-Shan Ke, Hsin-Yi Yang, Ting-Chia Chang, Chin-Yu Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/17/10009
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author Chih-Wei Tsao
Pei-Shan Ke
Hsin-Yi Yang
Ting-Chia Chang
Chin-Yu Liu
author_facet Chih-Wei Tsao
Pei-Shan Ke
Hsin-Yi Yang
Ting-Chia Chang
Chin-Yu Liu
author_sort Chih-Wei Tsao
collection DOAJ
description Increasing reports on the significance of dietary patterns in reproduction have arisen from both animal and human studies, suggesting an interactive association between nutrition and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on low-carbohydrate-diet-induced metabolic dysfunction, testicular antioxidant capacity, apoptosis, inflammation and spermatogenesis in male mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet (AIN-93M group, n = 12) and a low-carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks (LC group, fed with low-carbohydrate diet, n = 48), and mice randomly chosen from the LC group were later fed their original diet (LC group, n = 12). This diet was changed to AIN-93M feed (LC/AIN-93M group, n = 12), a ketogenic diet (LC/KD group, n = 12), or a ketogenic diet treated with curcumin supplementation for the final 6 weeks (LC/KDCu group, n = 12). A poor sperm morphology and mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS) were observed in the LC and LC/KD groups, but they were eliminated by the normal diet or ketogenic diet with curcumin. The LC group exhibited a lower testicular testosterone level and a lower 17β-HSD activity and protein expression. This also enhanced apoptosis protein expressions in testis tissue, including Bax/BCl<sub>2</sub>, cleaved caspase 3, PARP and NF-κB. Meanwhile, we found a statistically significant increase in lipid peroxidation and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase levels in the LC group. Our study indicated that a replacement of a normal diet or ketogenic diet supplemented with curcumin attenuated poor semen quality and reduced testosterone levels by the LC diet by reducing oxidative stress.
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spelling doaj.art-cee0880b497543209ddfd6719b60589c2023-11-23T13:21:18ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-09-0123171000910.3390/ijms231710009Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic DysfunctionChih-Wei Tsao0Pei-Shan Ke1Hsin-Yi Yang2Ting-Chia Chang3Chin-Yu Liu4Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114202, TaiwanDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242304, TaiwanDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242304, TaiwanDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242304, TaiwanDepartment of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242304, TaiwanIncreasing reports on the significance of dietary patterns in reproduction have arisen from both animal and human studies, suggesting an interactive association between nutrition and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on low-carbohydrate-diet-induced metabolic dysfunction, testicular antioxidant capacity, apoptosis, inflammation and spermatogenesis in male mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet (AIN-93M group, n = 12) and a low-carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks (LC group, fed with low-carbohydrate diet, n = 48), and mice randomly chosen from the LC group were later fed their original diet (LC group, n = 12). This diet was changed to AIN-93M feed (LC/AIN-93M group, n = 12), a ketogenic diet (LC/KD group, n = 12), or a ketogenic diet treated with curcumin supplementation for the final 6 weeks (LC/KDCu group, n = 12). A poor sperm morphology and mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS) were observed in the LC and LC/KD groups, but they were eliminated by the normal diet or ketogenic diet with curcumin. The LC group exhibited a lower testicular testosterone level and a lower 17β-HSD activity and protein expression. This also enhanced apoptosis protein expressions in testis tissue, including Bax/BCl<sub>2</sub>, cleaved caspase 3, PARP and NF-κB. Meanwhile, we found a statistically significant increase in lipid peroxidation and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase levels in the LC group. Our study indicated that a replacement of a normal diet or ketogenic diet supplemented with curcumin attenuated poor semen quality and reduced testosterone levels by the LC diet by reducing oxidative stress.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/17/10009low-carbohydrate dietcurcuminoxidative stressmale infertilityspermatogenesis
spellingShingle Chih-Wei Tsao
Pei-Shan Ke
Hsin-Yi Yang
Ting-Chia Chang
Chin-Yu Liu
Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
low-carbohydrate diet
curcumin
oxidative stress
male infertility
spermatogenesis
title Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
title_full Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
title_fullStr Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
title_full_unstemmed Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
title_short Curcumin Remedies Testicular Function and Spermatogenesis in Male Mice with Low-Carbohydrate-Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction
title_sort curcumin remedies testicular function and spermatogenesis in male mice with low carbohydrate diet induced metabolic dysfunction
topic low-carbohydrate diet
curcumin
oxidative stress
male infertility
spermatogenesis
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/17/10009
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