Abstract
Obesity is a debilitating disorder with a variety of problems including oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. The aim of our study was to investigate the therapeutic role of bee bread on oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in the testis of obese rats. Thirty-two adult male Sprague Dawley rats, with weights between 230–300 g, were distributed into four groups (n = 8/group), namely normal control (C), obese (Ob), obese + BB or obese + OR [high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks then HFD plus bee bread or orlistat for another 6 weeks] groups. Bee bread (0.5 g/kg) or orlistat (10 mg/kg/day) was diluted with distilled water and administered daily for 6 weeks by oral gavage. There were significant decreases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes [glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR)], glutathione (GSH)] and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels and mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2), superoxide dismutase (Sod), catalase (Cat) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) in the obese group relative to the control group. Meanwhile, the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory markers, namely: inducible nitric oxide synthase (Inos), nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-κβ), tumour necrotic factor α (Tnf-α) and interleukin 1β (Il-1β) were significantly increased while interleukin (Il-10) was decreased in the obese group relative to the control group. Further, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoexpressions decreased while cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemical staining increased significantly in the obese group, in addition to increases in the mRNA levels of p53, Bax, Caspases-8, 9 and 3, relative to the control group. Treatment with bee bread showed increases in antioxidant enzymes and PCNA immunoexpression, as well as decreases in inflammation and apoptosis markers in the testes. This study has shown that bee bread has therapeutic effects against oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis in the testis of HFD-induced obese male rats, thereby suggesting its role as a natural supplement capable of treating obesity-induced male reproductive impairment.
Highlights
Bee bread is usually formed due to the outcome of the fermentation from the combination of pollen, digestive enzymes found in saliva, and nectar [1,2]
We had previously reported that increased consumption of high-fat diet (HFD) causes excessive testicular oxidative stress, high levels of inflammation, and apoptosis in obese rat models fed with HFD for twelve weeks [12,31]
Our present study revealed increased testicular oxidative stress in the obese group which is in line with our previous study [12,31]
Summary
Bee bread is usually formed due to the outcome of the fermentation from the combination of pollen, digestive enzymes found in saliva, and nectar [1,2]. Antioxidants 2022, 11, 255 protein, carbohydrates, fats, and mineral components. Bee bread comprises of 24–35% carbohydrates, 20% protein, 3% lipids, 3% minerals and vitamins, enzymes (phosphatases, glucose-oxidase, saccharase and amylase), amino acids (proline, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, histidine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, tryptophan, lysine, threonine, cysteine, phenylalanine, alanine, glycine, tyrosine and serine), carotenoids, phenolic acid and flavonoids, pantothenic acid, polyphenols, and sterols [3]. The presence of phenolic acids (caffeic acid, gallic acid, trans 3-hydroxycinnamic acid, transferulic acid, 2-hydroxycinnamic acid) and flavonoids (apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin, and mangiferin) have been found in our study [3]
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