A high-fat diet impairs reproduction by decreasing the IL1β level in mice treated at immature stage

Sci Rep. 2017 Apr 3;7(1):567. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-00505-0.

Abstract

Obesity causes low-grade inflammation that is involved in male infertility. Interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) plays an important role in this process. A high-fat diet (HFD) is the most common cause of obesity. However, the effect of a HFD on IL1β and its consequence in reproduction remain unclear. We established a HFD model in mice treated at immature stage (mice-TIS) and mice treated at mature stage (mice-TMS). Surprisingly, we found that a HFD decreased IL1β levels and was accompanied by an increase in testosterone in mice-TIS, while the reverse results were observed in mice-TMS. In addition, a HFD caused a reduction in testis macrophages and in the expression of inflammasome-related genes and proteins in mice-TIS. Furthermore, we found that IL1β inhibited testosterone secretion through down-regulating the gene expression of P450SCC and P450c17. However, the influence on mice-TIS that were induced by a HFD was recovered by stopping the HFD. In this study, we are the first to report that a HFD impairs the reproductive system by decreasing IL1β and enhancing testosterone levels in mice-TIS, which are different from the effects in mice-TMS. This provides new ideas for the treatment of obesity-induced infertility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / genetics
  • Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / metabolism
  • Diet, High-Fat* / adverse effects
  • Germ Cells / metabolism
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Reproduction* / genetics
  • Reproduction* / immunology
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / genetics
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / metabolism
  • Testis / metabolism
  • Testis / pathology
  • Testosterone / metabolism

Substances

  • Inflammasomes
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Testosterone
  • Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase
  • Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme