Extra‐virgin olive oil ameliorates high‐fat diet‐induced seminal and testicular disorders by modulating the cholesterol pathway

Background Rabbits are sensitive to dietary cholesterol and rapidly develop hypercholesterolemia, leading to prominent subfertility. Sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2 drives the intracellular cholesterol pathway in many tissues, including the testicles. Its abnormal regulation coul...

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Published in:Andrology (Oxford) 2023-09, Vol.11 (6), p.1203-1217
Main Authors: Funes, Abi Karenina, Avena, María Virginia, Ibañez, Jorge, Simón, Layla, Ituarte, Leonor, Colombo, Regina, Roldán, Adrián, Conte, María Inés, Monclus, María Ángeles, Boarelli, Paola, Fornés, Miguel Walter, Saez Lancellotti, Tania Estefanía
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cholesterol
Diet
Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects
Humans
Lipoproteins, LDL
Male
male infertility
Olive oil
Olive Oil - pharmacology
Oxidoreductases
Proteins
Rabbits
spermatozoa
SREBP
Sterols
Testes
testicle
Testicular Diseases
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Summary:Background Rabbits are sensitive to dietary cholesterol and rapidly develop hypercholesterolemia, leading to prominent subfertility. Sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2 drives the intracellular cholesterol pathway in many tissues, including the testicles. Its abnormal regulation could be the mainly responsible for the failure of suppressing cholesterol synthesis in a cholesterol‐enriched environment, ultimately leading to testicular and seminal alterations. However, extra‐virgin olive oil consumption has beneficial properties that promote lowering of cholesterol levels, including the recovery of seminal parameters altered under a high‐fat diet. Objectives Our goal was to investigate the effects of high‐fat diet supplementation with extra‐virgin olive oil at the molecular level on rabbit testes, by analyzing sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2 protein and its corresponding downstream effectors. Materials and methods During 12 months, male rabbits were fed a control diet, high‐fat diet, or 6‐month high‐fat diet followed by 6‐month high‐fat diet plus extra‐virgin olive oil. Serum lipids, testosterone levels, bodyweight, and seminal parameters were tested. The mRNA and protein levels of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase, and low‐density lipoprotein receptor were determined by semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting techniques. The expression pattern of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2 protein in the rabbit testicles was studied by indirect immunofluorescence. In addition, testicular cholesterol was detected and quantified by filipin staining and gas chromatography. Results The data showed that the addition of extra‐virgin olive oil to high‐fat diet reduced testicular cholesterol levels and recovered the expression of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein isoform 2, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase, and low‐density lipoprotein receptor initially altered by the high‐fat diet. Discussion and conclusions The combination of high‐fat diet with extra‐virgin olive oil encourages testicular recovery by modifying the expression of the enzymes related to intracellular cholesterol management.
ISSN:2047-2919
2047-2927
DOI:10.1111/andr.13398