abstract
Diabetes-induced complications are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and increasing evidence suggests that diabetes has an adverse effect on male reproductive function. The STZ-induced diabetic rat was used as an animal model for the type I form of the disease with the aim of determining its effects in spermatogenesis and testicular mitochondrial function. Several aspects of mitochondrial function were measured, including respiratory and electric potential function, as well as mitochondrial calcium loading capacity. Additionally oxidative stress production, antioxidant levels and possible apoptotic alterations were also evaluated. We observed that diabetic animals present alterations in spermatogenesis in both the testis and epidydimus. However, and surprisingly, the overall results in mitochondrial parameters failed to reveal severe testicular mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic animals, with the exception of a decrease in calcium load. Taken together, results suggest that in animal models that mimic untreated type 1 diabetes the severe effects of the condition on spermatogenesis are not directly mitochondrial-mediated. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.
keywords
PERMEABILITY TRANSITION PORE; MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION; OXIDATIVE STRESS; LIVER MITOCHONDRIA; GOTO-KAKIZAKI; BRAIN MITOCHONDRIA; HEART-MITOCHONDRIA; MALE-INFERTILITY; VITAMIN-E; INSULIN
subject category
Cell Biology; Genetics & Heredity
authors
Amaral, S; Mota, PC; Lacerda, B; Alves, M; Pereira, MD; Oliveira, PJ; Ramalho-Santos, J
our authors
Maria de Lourdes Gomes Pereira
Associate Professor with Aggregationacknowledgements
S. Amaral would like to thanks M. Sancha Santos and A. Moreno for continuous technical assistance and useful discussions, Raquel Seica for technical assistance in terms of STZ administration, Helena Oliveira for helping with histology procedures, J. Saints for language correction, C. Gomes and C. Ramos for statistical review, Raquel Santiago, Joana Gaspar from the