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Relationship between abnormal sperm morphology induced by dietary zinc deficiency and lipid composition in testis of growing rats
Author(s) -
Suh Miyoung,
Merrells Krystal,
Hosea Heather,
Jamieson Jennifer,
Taylor Carla
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a626
Subject(s) - sperm , medicine , endocrinology , spermatogenesis , zinc deficiency (plant disorder) , zinc , biology , seminal vesicle , prostate , reproductive system , chemistry , andrology , organic chemistry , cancer
This study investigated if zinc deficiency affects male reproductive function. Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed normal (CONT, 30 ppm), marginally deficient (MD, 8–10 ppm), deficient (D, 1 ppm) zinc diets for 3 wks. Pair fed (PF, 30 ppm) controls to D were included. Morphology of cauda epididymal sperm and lipid profiles of whole testis (MD and CONT group) were analyzed. D rats had decreased testis wt (p<0.004). When normalized with testis wt, seminal vesicles and prostate were significantly smaller (p<0.001) in rats fed D and PF diet. Significant head and tail abnormalities of sperms were identified in rats fed D diet (p<0.005). In rats fed MD diet, total lipids decreased 5% and cholesterol increased 20% but these levels were not different from rats on CONT diet. The major fatty acids in testis phosphatidylcholine were C16:0, C18:1, C20:4n–6, and C22:5n–6 (39%, 14%, 14%, and 15%, respectively), but no difference was observed between dietary treatment. These results demonstrate that zinc plays a role in sperm integrity with minor effects on lipid modulation in testis. Further studies are necessary to determine which stages of sperm cell spermatogenesis are affected by dietary zinc. (supported by the University of Manitoba Start‐up Funds and NSERC).