ABSTRACT
High-fat diets (HFDs) are an acknowledged risk factor for male subfertility, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study we compared the effects of two HFDs with different ω6:ω3 ratios, one enriched with soy oil (SOD; ω6:ω3=9.62) and another enriched with sunflower oil (SFOD; ω6:ω3=51.55), with those of a commercial diet (CD; ω6:ω3=19.87), supplied from pregnancy to adulthood, on morphometric parameters and reproductive performance in adult male mice (recommended ω6:ω3 for rodents=1-6). Bodyweight was significantly higher in the SFOD than CD group, and relative testicular weight was significantly lower in the SFOD than the other two groups. SFOD altered sperm performance: it reduced sperm viability (mean±s.e.m.; 76.00±1.35% vs 82.50±1.45% and 80.63±1.00% in the SFOD vs CD and SOD groups respectively; P<0.05) and increased the percentage of immature spermatozoa (71.88±7.17% vs 51.38±5.87% and 48.00±5.72% in the SFOD vs CD and SOD groups respectively; P<0.05). The epididymal ω6:ω3 ratio was higher in the SFOD versus CD and SOD groups, whereas the unsaturation index was higher in the SOD and SFOD groups than in CD group. Sperm membrane integrity was diminished in both the SOD and SFOD groups, but there was no difference in sperm reactive oxygen species production in these two groups compared with the CD group. The fertilisation rate was lower in the SFOD compared with the CD and SOD groups. In conclusion, although both HFDs affected sperm quality, the fertilising ability was more altered by the excessive dietary ω6:ω3 ratio than by the net ω6 content.
Subject(s)
Animal Feed/analysis , Diet, High-Fat , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/analysis , Fatty Acids, Omega-6/analysis , Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/physiopathology , Reproduction/physiology , Animals , Female , Male , Mice , PregnancyABSTRACT
The frequency and clinical characteristics of rotavirus infections were studied in 150 infants hospitalized in the General Hospital "Agustin O'Horán" SSA in Mérida, Yucatán, México, because of acute gastroenteritis during 1986. Rotavirus was detected in 32% of all subjects tested. Rotavirus was detected in all months studied. An age-related incidence peak was observed between 7 and 24 months and the infection proved to prevail within the rural area. The clinical pictures were analyzed. We consider it necessary to carry out many more studies in our country in order to obtain reliable knowledge of this problem.
