EFFECT OF LIRAGLUTIDE ON BLOOD-TESTIS BARRIER FUNCTION IN JUVENILE RATS

DASSO MARINA E; CENTOLA CECILIA LUCIA; SORIA DANIEL; SOBARZO CRISTIAN M; BALLERINI MARIA GABRIELA; GALARDO MARÍA NOEL; MERONI SILVINA B; RIERA M FERNANDA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Anual de Sociedades de Biociencias (SAIC); 2023

SAIC

Liraglutide (Lira), an analogue of glucagon like peptide 1, is widely used for treating adult patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The rates of obesity continue to grow in children and therefore it has been recently approved for use in children over 10 years old. However, little is known about Lira effects on testicular function. The blood-testis barrier (BTB), composed of junctions between Sertoli cells (SC), isolates germ cells, providing an adequate microenvironment for their development. Consequently, defects in the BTB lead to harmful effects on testicular function. At present, no studies have been conducted to assess if early-life administration of Lira represents any potential risk to BTB establishment. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of Lira on BTB integrity in vivo. To this end, Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: Lira (receiving daily 0,2 mg/kg Lira s.c.) and control (C; sterile saline solution s.c.) from postnatal day (Pnd) 20 to Pnd33, period of life that is essential to complete a functional BTB. The BTB integrity was evaluated on Pnd34 using a biotinylated tracer. Histological analysis was also performed. The results showed that Lira group exhibited a significant increase in BTB permeability compared to controls (C: 5.5±1.5; Lira: 11.9±3; n=9; p