AB150. Dietary resistant maltodextrin ameliorates testicular function and spermatogenesis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Objective: This study investigated the effect of resistant maltodextrin (RMD) on reproduction in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetic male rats.

Methods: Forty male rats were induced with diabetes by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (50 mg/kg) and nicotinamide (100 mg/kg). Five groups were analyzed in total: normal, Diabetic rats without RMD, diabetic rats with RMD 1.2 g/100 g diet (1×), with RMD 2.4 g/100 g (2×), and with RMD 6.0 g/100 g (5×).

Results: The groups of diabetic rats with the RMD supplement, compared to those without supplement, showed improved plasma glucose control, attenuated insulin resistance and recovery of testosterone level & spermatogenesis stage. The STZ-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) caused a significant reduction in serum testosterone, testis androgen receptor (AR), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) protein, but a statistical recovery in each of these was observed in the 5× group. TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the Diabetic without RMD group and RMD treatment reduced apoptotic germ cells. The expression of Bax/Bcl2 was induced in the diabetic group and also significantly reduced in the 5× group.

Conclusions: Dietary RMD may improve metabolic control in STZ-induced diabetic rats and attenuate hyperglycemia-related impaired male reproduction and testicular function.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus (DM); resistant maltodextrin (RMD); hypogonadism; spermatogenesis