Impact of quercetin supplementation on testicular functions in summer heat-stressed rabbits
[EN] This study evaluated the effects of dietary quercetin on epididymal sperm and testicular outcomes in adult male New Zealand White rabbits exposed to summer heat stress (HS). Twelve rabbits (temperature-humidity index 29.9 +/- 1.2) were assigned for 60 days to a basal ration (BR; n = 6) or the s...
| Autores: | , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2020 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) |
| Repositorio: | RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:riunet.upv.es:10251/143072 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/143072 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Quercetin Heat stress Testes Sperm Apoptosis Rabbit |
| Sumario: | [EN] This study evaluated the effects of dietary quercetin on epididymal sperm and testicular outcomes in adult male New Zealand White rabbits exposed to summer heat stress (HS). Twelve rabbits (temperature-humidity index 29.9 +/- 1.2) were assigned for 60 days to a basal ration (BR; n = 6) or the same diet supplemented with quercetin (30 mg/kg/d; Que-BR; n = 6), and culled at endpoint. Epididymides and testes were collected for sperm analysis, histopathology, and apoptosis. Quercetin increased epididymal weight and testicular length, without affecting other testicular dimensions. Compared with BR, Que-BR improved epididymal sperm motility, concentration, kinematic parameters, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and acrosome integrity, and lowered serum malondialdehyde. Histologically, quercetin preserved the interstitial stroma, seminiferous tubule architecture, and germinal and Sertoli cells under HS, reducing germ-cell apoptosis. In conclusion, HS impairs sperm and testicular structure in rabbits, and dietary quercetin mitigates oxidative stress and protects testes and sperm from HS-induced damage. |
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