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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
A Protocol for Constructing a Rat Wound Model of Type 1 Diabetes
Published on: February 17, 2023
Tungstate administration improves the sexual and reproductive function in female rats with streptozotocin-induced
J Ballester1, M C Muñoz, J Domínguez
1Unit of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
Background:
Diabetes induces great alterations in female reproductive function. We analyzed the effects of tungstate, an anti-diabetic agent, on the reproductive function of healthy and diabetic female rats.
Methods:
Healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were treated with sodium tungstate (2 mg/ml in their drinking water) for 12 weeks. Markers of reproductive function and diabetes were measured in serum, and in uterus and ovaries by Western blot or RT-PCR. Reproductive function was also assessed by mating.
Results:
Diabetic rats showed great impairment of libido, which was accompanied by a total loss of fertility (P < 0.05) and a decrease in the serum levels of FSH (P < 0.05) and LH (P < 0.05) compared with healthy rats. Tungstate treatment of diabetic rats partially recovered libido while fertility rate increased to 66.6%. This improvement was accompanied by a recovery of serum FSH (to a level higher than healthy rats) and LH. Moreover, tungstate treatment normalized ovarian expression of GLUT 3 hexose transporter, and estrogen, progesterone and FSH receptors, whereas only GLUT 3 and FSH receptors were normalized in the uterus.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that the alterations in female reproduction in diabetes were partially reversed after tungstate treatment by a mechanism(s) involving the normalization of serum FSH and LH levels, and ovarian and uterine expression of FSH receptors and GLUT3.
