Ameliorative effect of omega-3 on spermatogenesis, testicular antioxidant status and preimplantation embryo development in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats

The present study was done to determine the ameliorative effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid omega-3 against experimental diabetes-induced damages on testicular tissue, sperm parameters and preimplantation embryo development in rat model. Thirty-two mature male rats were divided into two control and test groups. The experimental diabetes (50 mg kg(-1) streptozotocin, ip) was induced in test group and subdivided into non-treated diabetic, 300 and 600 mg kg(-1) omega-3-treated (orally by gavage) groups. The rats in control group received 0.5 ml saline using intra-gastric gavage. Following 45 days, general histopathological changes, serum level of testosterone, inhibin B, glucose, and sperm parameters, testicular total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were analyzed. The mitochondria-dependent apoptosis was investigated by assessing the Bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression as well as DNA fragmentation. Finally, the in vitro fertilization (IVF) potential was examined by evaluating preimplantation embryo developing. The omega-3 significantly ameliorated the diabetes-induced histological damages, diminished serum level of glucose, testicular MDA content, and enhanced the serum testosterone, inhibin B and testicular TAC. The animals in omega-3-treated groups exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation in Bcl-2, as well as remarkable (p < 0.05) down-regulation in caspase-3 expression compared to non-treated diabetic rats. Moreover, the omega-3 maintained DNA integrity, improved sperm quality as well as preimplantation embryo development. Our data showed that the omega-3 (especially at 600 mg kg(-1) dose level) effectively ameliorates the experimental diabetes-induced infertility in rats by up-regulating the testicular endocrine and antioxidant statuses, preventing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway and potentially improving the sperm quality.