Protective effect of indole-3-carbinol on testis of a high fat diet induced obesity

We investigated the effects of obesity caused by a high fat diet (HFD) on rat testes and evaluated the possible protective effects of indole-3-carbinol (IND). We used 24 8-10-week-old 200 g male rats randomly assigned to 4 groups: non-obese control (NC), obese control (OC), non-obese IND group (NI), obese + IND group (OI). Testis samples were examined using stereological, immunohistochemical, biochemical and histological methods. The number of spermatogenic cells, Leydig cells, mean volume of testes and seminiferous tubules was significantly decreased in the OC group compared to the NC group, but these values were increased significantly in the OI group compared to the OC group. We found a significant increase in catalase and myeloperoxidase activities in the OC group compared to the NC group. In the OI group, catalase and myeloperoxidase levels were decreased compared to the OC group. TUNEL-positive cells also were increased in the OC group compared to the NC group (p < 0.05), but these were fewer in the OI group than the OC group. We found marked morphological changes in testicular tissues between the NC and OC groups, as well as between the OI and OC groups. We found that HFD induced obesity was detrimental to rat testes and that administration of IND ameliorated testicular changes caused by obesity.