Olive oil intake: improvement on infertility in a rabbit model that resembles human hypercholesterolemia.

FUNES, ABI K.; MONCLUS, MARÍA A.; FORNÉS, MIGUEL W.; CRESCITELLI, JULIETA; SAEZ LANCELLOTTI, TANIA E.; COLOMBO, REGINA; M INÉS CONTE

Mendoza

Simposio; II INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE; 2019

Overweight and obesity have recently been linked to infertility in men. Defining the mechanisms of how increased dietary cholesterol threatens men reproductive health is critical to developing approaches that improve current fertility problems. Gonads are sensitive to dietary lipids: many intracellular processes are negatively affected, but the effect on cholesterol-regulating machinery (CRM) is unknown. Dynamic cholesterol regulation is crucial for both testosterone production and spermatogenesis. Attempts to improve fertility during caloric stress includes changes in dietary habits such as adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Among its components, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has recognized beneficial properties. However, its effect on testicles and specially on the CRM has not yet been fully addressed. Results:,The fat diet caused in raabits a short-term decrease in CRM, but an exacerbation over longer periods of time. Interestingly, addition of EVOO reverted seminal altered parameters and also diminished SREBP-2 expression. Conclusions: The testicular CRM is sensitive to dietary cholesterol and promotes an acute protective response, but becomes harmful under a chronic stress. The consumption of EVOO reversed the alterations caused by the fat diet. These data add new information to understanding the mechanisms involved in fat diet-related male infertility and to propose strategies to remedy the damage.