Gut microbiota-testis axis: FMT improves systemic and testicular micro-environment to increase semen quality in type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Background Clinical data suggest that male reproductive dysfunction especially infertility is a critical issue for type 1 diabetic patient (T1D) because most of them are at the reproductive age. Gut dysbiosis is involved in T1D related male infertility. However, the improved gut microbiota can be used to boost spermatogenesis and male fertility in T1D remains incompletely understood. Methods T1D was established in ICR (CD1) mice with streptozotocin. Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) improved gut microbiota (fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from AOS improved gut microbiota; A10-FMT) was transplanted into the T1D mice by oral administration. Semen quality, gut microbiota, blood metabolism, liver, and spleen tissues were determined to investigate the beneficial effects of A10-FMT on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Results We found that A10-FMT significantly decreased blood glucose and glycogen, and increased semen quality in streptozotocin-induced T1D subjects. A10-FMT improved T1D-disturbed gut microbiota, especially the increase in small intestinal lactobacillus, and blood and testicular metabolome to produce n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to ameliorate spermatogenesis and semen quality. Moreover, A10-FMT can improve spleen and liver functions to strengthen the systemic environment for sperm development. FMT from gut microbiota of control animals (Con-FMT) produced some beneficial effects; however, to a smaller extent. Conclusions AOS-improved gut microbiota (specific microbes) may serve as a novel, promising therapeutic approach for the improvement of semen quality and male fertility in T1D patients via gut microbiota-testis axis.

Rifaximin Protects against Malathion-Induced Rat Testicular Toxicity: A Possible Clue on Modulating Gut Microbiome and Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Mitophagy

“…In the current study, RFX was applied to male infertility, exploiting the non-traditional action of RFX on microbiota, and providing an insight into gut-testes axis. Lately, modifying gut microbiome provided the curation of male infertility in T1D patients [69]. Regarding the mechanism of the action of RFX, preclinical and clinical studies provided evidence for anti-inflammatory and immune modulator effects [70].…”

Gut microbiota supports male reproduction via nutrition, immunity, and signaling

“…Remodeling their GM by feeding melatonin or transplanting alginate oligosaccharides-improved fecal microbiota effectively alleviates the above conditions (Hao et al, 2022a;Sun et al, 2022). Zhang C. et al (2021), Zhang P. et al (2021), andHao et al (2022b) also found that transplantation of fecal microbiota from mice supplemented with alginate oligosaccharide to mice treated with busulfan or streptozotocin (a type 1 diabetes inducer) could rescue germ cell loss and improve semen quality through metabolic pathways. Although GM metabolites have an impact on fertility, basic phenomena yet remain to be defined completely.…”

Maternal Zearalenone Exposure Affects Gut Microbiota and Follicular Development in Suckled Offspring

“…Since diet is the most common route of human exposure to ZEN, whether the reproductive disorder caused by ZEN is potentially related with the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract is a critical issue that needs to be studied. In recent years, research on the relationship between gut microbiota and organismal health has attracted worldwide attention, and there is growing evidence to support that the gut microbiota is closely related to reproductive health. ,, In the current study, we adopted high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing to identify changes of gut microbiota induced by ZEN. Our results clearly showed that ZEN altered the composition of the gut microbiota and lead to a significant change in gut microbiota abundance in progeny of the ZEN-treated groups.…”