Resveratrol improves sperm DNA quality and reproductive capacity in type 1 diabetes

In the coming decades, diabetes mellitus might affect 628 million individuals. Its final impact on male fertility and reproductive outcomes should be considered since the number of adolescents and young adults presenting diabetes is rising. Resveratrol (RES), a polyphenol, is a biological modulator with multitarget and multi-action characteristics.

to evaluate if RES is effective against the male reproductive damage caused by type 1 diabetes (DM1), focusing on sperm DNA integrity and reproductive outcome.

At 30 dpp (days postpartum), male rats were divided into 7 groups: Sham control (SC); RES vehicle (RV); RES (R); STZ-diabetic (D; induced at 30dpp with 65 mg/kg of streptozotocin); STZ-diabetic + insulin (DI); STZ-diabetic + RES (DR); STZ-diabetic + insulin +RES (DIR). DR, DIR, and R groups received 150mg RES/kg b.w./day by gavage (from 33 to 110dpp). DI and DIR received insulin (from day 5 after DM1 induction until 110dpp). Blood glucose was monitored in different time points. Animals were mated with healthy females. Euthanasia occurred at 110 dpp.

DM1 increased lipid peroxidation (testis and epididymis) and sperm DNA fragmentation, alterations of chromatin structure, reduced mitochondrial mass and acrosome integrity, causing a decline in fertility and pregnancy rates. RES improved the parameters.

RES, as an adjuvant, activates specific reactions against hyperglycemia, the main trigger of most complications of diabetes, by controlling oxidative stress, probably as a result of SIRT1 activation. We present here more evidences showing its valuable role in diminishing diabetes seriousness to male reproduction, not only to spermatogenesis in the first instance, but also to sperm overall quality and fertility outcomes, regardless of insulin treatment.

RES attenuated lipid peroxidation and sperm DNA damage in DM1-induced animals, which positively reflected on male fertility. Our results show RES potential against DM1 complications in male reproduction.