Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats
ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the effect of chronic stress on testicular morphology in adult Wistar rats, as well as the impact of comfort food consumption on these parameters. Material and methods: 32 Wistar rats (10 weeks old) were divided into four groups: control (C), stressed (S), control...
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Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia
2025-01-01
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| Series: | International Brazilian Journal of Urology |
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| author | Carina F. Barnabé Roger G. Marchon Maria V. C. Pinto Bianca M. Gregório Anneliese Fortuna-Costa Francisco J. B. Sampaio Diogo B. De Souza |
| author_facet | Carina F. Barnabé Roger G. Marchon Maria V. C. Pinto Bianca M. Gregório Anneliese Fortuna-Costa Francisco J. B. Sampaio Diogo B. De Souza |
| author_sort | Carina F. Barnabé |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the effect of chronic stress on testicular morphology in adult Wistar rats, as well as the impact of comfort food consumption on these parameters. Material and methods: 32 Wistar rats (10 weeks old) were divided into four groups: control (C), stressed (S), control + comfort food (C+CF), and stressed + comfort food (S+CF). Chronic stress was induced by the restraint method during 8 weeks in groups S and S+CF, while groups C and C+CF were maintained under normal conditions. Groups C and S received a standard rat chow diet, while groups C+CF and S+CF received both the standard chow and comfort food (Froot Loops®). After 8 weeks of experiment, all animals were euthanized and the testes were collected for histomorphometric, immunohistochemical and gene expression analysis. Results: Comfort food was preferred over standard chow in groups C+CF and S+CF, but this preference was more preeminent in stressed animals (S+CF). The consumption of comfort food resulted in testicular weight reduction. The seminipherous epithelium was reduced in group S in comparison to controls. While comfort food also reduced the epithelium in C+CF in comparison to controls, for group S+CF the comfort food ameliorated the stress-induced damage. The cell proliferation rate and the relative expression of StAR and BLC2 genes were similar between the groups. Conclusion: Both chronic stress and comfort food consumption resulted in morphological alterations of the testes but the consumption of comfort foods during chronic stress partially prevented the stress-induced detrimental effects on testes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3622863e2c3d450f879cb3c9ab2c4b08 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1677-6119 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Brasileira de Urologia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Brazilian Journal of Urology |
| spelling | doaj-art-3622863e2c3d450f879cb3c9ab2c4b082025-02-04T07:36:16ZengSociedade Brasileira de UrologiaInternational Brazilian Journal of Urology1677-61192025-01-0151110.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2024.0515Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar RatsCarina F. BarnabéRoger G. MarchonMaria V. C. PintoBianca M. GregórioAnneliese Fortuna-CostaFrancisco J. B. SampaioDiogo B. De Souzahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3456-5029ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the effect of chronic stress on testicular morphology in adult Wistar rats, as well as the impact of comfort food consumption on these parameters. Material and methods: 32 Wistar rats (10 weeks old) were divided into four groups: control (C), stressed (S), control + comfort food (C+CF), and stressed + comfort food (S+CF). Chronic stress was induced by the restraint method during 8 weeks in groups S and S+CF, while groups C and C+CF were maintained under normal conditions. Groups C and S received a standard rat chow diet, while groups C+CF and S+CF received both the standard chow and comfort food (Froot Loops®). After 8 weeks of experiment, all animals were euthanized and the testes were collected for histomorphometric, immunohistochemical and gene expression analysis. Results: Comfort food was preferred over standard chow in groups C+CF and S+CF, but this preference was more preeminent in stressed animals (S+CF). The consumption of comfort food resulted in testicular weight reduction. The seminipherous epithelium was reduced in group S in comparison to controls. While comfort food also reduced the epithelium in C+CF in comparison to controls, for group S+CF the comfort food ameliorated the stress-induced damage. The cell proliferation rate and the relative expression of StAR and BLC2 genes were similar between the groups. Conclusion: Both chronic stress and comfort food consumption resulted in morphological alterations of the testes but the consumption of comfort foods during chronic stress partially prevented the stress-induced detrimental effects on testes.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1677-55382025000100404&lng=en&tlng=enTestisStress Disorders, Traumatic, AcuteInfertility |
| spellingShingle | Carina F. Barnabé Roger G. Marchon Maria V. C. Pinto Bianca M. Gregório Anneliese Fortuna-Costa Francisco J. B. Sampaio Diogo B. De Souza Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats International Brazilian Journal of Urology Testis Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute Infertility |
| title | Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats |
| title_full | Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats |
| title_short | Effects of Chronic Stress and Comfort Food in Testicular Morphology in Adult Wistar Rats |
| title_sort | effects of chronic stress and comfort food in testicular morphology in adult wistar rats |
| topic | Testis Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute Infertility |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1677-55382025000100404&lng=en&tlng=en |
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