title: Testicular mitochondrial alterations in untreated streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
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 1 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.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lacerda
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Maria de Lourdes
authors.initials: Mde L
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Paulo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramalho-Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin; D002118:Calcium