Voluntary exercise prevents high-fat diet-induced male infertility in rats by preserving blood-testis barrier integrity and sperm parameters.

Objectives: Obesity is one of the risk factors that can cause male infertility through various mechanisms. Appropriate exercise can prevent and treat diseases. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of voluntary exercise on the subfertility induced by a high-fat diet in male rats.

Methods: 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control(C), voluntary wheel-running exercise (Ex), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet combined with voluntary wheel-running exercise (HFD-Ex). The rats in the HFD groups were fed with a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. Voluntary wheel-running exercise was conducted for 10 weeks. After 10weeks, blood samples, hypothalamus, epididymis, and testis were collected to assess the sperm parameters, hypothalamic levels of Kisspeptin, Kisspeptin receptors, and leptin, testicular expression of ZO-1, Claudin-3, and Claudin-11, serum levels of gonadotropins, testosterone, and leptin, as well as testicular levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. The integrity of the blood-testis barrier was evaluated using light microscopy after FITC injection.

Results: An increase in sperm malformation, serum level of leptin, BTB permeability, and testicular level of TNF-α and IL-6 were observed in the HFD group. Hypothalamic protein levels of Kiss and KissR, serum levels of testosterone, and testicular expression of ZO-1, Claudin-3, and Claudin-11 were significantly lower in HFD rats compared to the control group. Voluntary exercise prevented an increase in sperm malformation, serum level of leptin, BTB permeability, and testicular level of TNF-α and IL-6.

Conclusions: Voluntary exercise might prevent high-fat diet-induced male infertility by preserving the BTB's integrity and improving sperm parameters.