Reproductive performance of male mice after hypothalamic ghrelin administration
Date
2018Author
Poretti, María Belén
Frautschi, Camila
Luque, Eugenia Mercedes
Bianconi, Santiago
Martini, Ana Carolina
Stutz, Graciela
Vincenti, Laura María
Santillán, María Emilia
Ponzio, Marina Flavia
Schiöth, Helgi
Fiol De Cuneo, Marta Haydee
Bianconi, Santiago
Carlini, Valeria Paola
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4742-2986https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7656-7212
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1116-1497
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7414-3942
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3549-2063
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4102-6990
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
It has been demonstrated that food intake and reproductive physiology are both simultaneously modulated to optimize reproductive success under fluctuating metabolic conditions. Ghrelin (GHRL) is an orexigenic peptide identified as the endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor that is being investigated for its potential role on reproduction. Considering that data available so far are still limited and characterization of GHRL action mechanism on the reproductive system has not been fully elucidated, we studied the participation of hypothalamus in GHRL effects on sperm functional activity, plasma levels of gonadotropins and histological morphology in mice testes after hypothalamic infusion of 0.3 or 3.0 nmol/day GHRL or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) at different treatment periods. We found that GHRL 3.0 nmol/day administration for 42 days significantly reduced sperm concentration (GHRL 3.0 nmol/day = 14.05 ± 2.44 × 106/mL vs ACSF = 20.33 ± 1.35 × 106/mL, P< 0.05) and motility (GHRL 3.0 nmol/day = 59.40 ± 4.20% vs ACSF = 75.80 ± 1.40%, P< 0.05). In addition, histological studies showed a significant decrease percentage of spermatogonia (GHRL 3.0 nmol/day = 6.76 ± 0.68% vs ACSF = 9.56 ± 0.41%, P< 0.05) and sperm (GHRL 3.0 nmol/day = 24.24 ± 1.92% vs ACSF = 31.20 ± 3.06%, P< 0.05). These results were associated with a significant reduction in luteinizing hormone and testosterone plasma levels (P< 0.05). As GHRL is an orexigenic peptide, body weight and food intake were measured. Results showed that GHRL increases both parameters; however, the effect did not last beyond the first week of treatment. Results presented in this work confirm that central GHRL administration impairs spermatogenesis and suggest that this effect is mediated by inhibition of hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.