l-Arginine alleviates the testosterone reduction in heat-treated mice by upregulating LH secretion, the testicular antioxidant system and expression of steroidogenesis-related genes
Xiao Jia A * , Zhaojian Li A * , Xin Ren A , Pengyuan Dai A , Yansen Li A and Chunmei Li
A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
B Corresponding author. Email: chunmeili@njau.edu.cn
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 32(10) 885-892 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD19303
Submitted: 30 July 2019 Accepted: 6 April 2020 Published: 3 June 2020
Abstract
High temperature can reduce testes function, leading to decreased testosterone secretion. Dietary l-arginine (l-Arg) supplementation improves the semen quality and libido of boars. The present study investigated whether l-Arg could enhance the production of testosterone in mice exposed to high ambient temperature. Twenty-four 6-week-old male ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups: a control group, a heat-treated (HT) group and a group subjected to heat treatment plus 2 mg kg−1 l-Arg (HT+Arg). l-Arg was administered to mice by oral gavage for 18 consecutive days, after which the HT and HT+Arg groups were placed into an incubator at 40°C for 30 min every day for 5 days. Serum testosterone and LH concentrations were significantly increased in the HT+Arg compared with HT group, as was catalase, total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and the expression of steroidogenesis-related genes steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star), steroidogenic factor-1 (Sf1), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (Hsd17b3) and 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (Cyp17a1) in the testes. These results demonstrate that l-Arg can alleviate testosterone reductions in heat-treated mice by upregulating LH secretion, enhancing the antioxidant system and increasing the expression of testosterone synthesis-related genes.
Additional keywords: heat treatment, oxidative damage, testes.
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