title: New insights for male infertility revealed by alterations in spermatic function and differential testicular expression of thyroid-related genes.
abstract: The impact of thyroid hormone (TH) disorders on male reproductive biology has been a controversial issue for many years. Recently, we reported that hypothyroid male rats have a disruption of the seminiferous epithelium, which may compromise spermatogenesis. To improve the understanding of the reproductive pathogenesis of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, male Wistar rats that developed these dysfunctions in adulthood were used as an experimental model. We evaluated the sperm production, reserves, transit time, morphology, and functionality (acrosome integrity, plasma membrane integrity, and mitochondrial activity), and the testicular expression of the TH receptors (Thra1 and Thra2, Thrb1, and Thrb2), deiodinases (Dio2 and Dio3), and the Mct8 transporter (Slc16a2) were assessed by reverse transcription followed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The results were evaluated statistically by ANOVA and Tukey HSD test (P < 0.05). Hypothyroidism decreased the total and daily sperm productions and increased the sperm transit time through the epididymis, while the sperm functionality was reduced in both thyroid dysfunctions. Regarding the modulation of gene expression in the testis, hypothyroidism increased the expression of Thra1 and decreased the expression of Dio3, and hyperthyroidism increased the expression of Slc16a2. The observed alterations in spermatic production and function and in the expression of the TH receptor, deiodinase, and the TH transporter are suggestive of TH participation in spermatogenesis in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Rua Simeao Camargo Varela de Sa, 03, Guarapuava, Parana, 85040-080, Brazil. renataromano20@gmail.com.|Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Sao Paulo, 05508-270, Brazil. renataromano20@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Renata Marino
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Rua Simeao Camargo Varela de Sa, 03, Guarapuava, Parana, 85040-080, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samantha Nascimento
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Rua Simeao Camargo Varela de Sa, 03, Guarapuava, Parana, 85040-080, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathalia Carolina Scandolara
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Rua Simeao Camargo Varela de Sa, 03, Guarapuava, Parana, 85040-080, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schiessl
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, State University of Centro-Oeste, Rua Simeao Camargo Varela de Sa, 03, Guarapuava, Parana, 85040-080, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Aurelio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Sao Paulo, 05508-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudio Alvarenga
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D007453:Iodide Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D000097564:Iodothyronine Deiodinase Type II
chemical_list: D007453:Iodide Peroxidase; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011988:Receptors, Thyroid Hormone; D000097564:Iodothyronine Deiodinase Type II
keywords: Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism; Male infertility; Sperm function; Sperm production