Normalization of serum corticosterone, testosterone levels, and testicular estrogen receptor-α expression in Wistar rats subjected to restraint stress — Beneficial effects of olive oil supplementation

Abstract

Many Stressors have been reported to affect male reproduction. Stress-induced elevated glucocorticoids that affect testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells. Consequently, spermatogenesis is impaired. Several studies reported that olive oil (OO) supplementation had beneficial effects on semen analysis. We aimed to evaluate the effect of restraint stress on serum testosterone, serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and the expression of testicular estrogen receptor-α (ERα) in Wistar rats. Also, we investigated whether OO supplementation might modulate the effect of restraint stress or not. 27 adult male Wistar rats were subdivided into 4 groups: control group (n = 7), restraint stress group (RS) (n = 7), restraint stress group receiving OO supplementation (RS + OO) (n = 7), olive oil supplemented group (OO) (n = 6). Serum corticosterone, FSH, testosterone, testicular cholesterol, semen fructose levels, and testicular ERα, expression were measured to all study groups. We revealed that RS group had higher corticosterone, testicular cholesterol levels and lower ERα expression, semen fructose levels in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05). While RS + OO group had lower corticosterone, cholesterol levels and higher testosterone, ERα expression, and semen fructose levels compared to RS group. We concluded that stress decreases testicular ERα expression and semen fructose level. While olive oil alleviates that inhibitory effect.