Page 61 - GTM-3-1

Global Translational Medicine Reproductive hormones and muscle in obesity

traced in each field of view in the Image J program using alterations associated with liver and pancreatic dysfunction
the “Freehand selection” tool. Measurements were made in (Table 2), of which the findings were consistent with the
ten fields of view at ×400 magnification. The pixels were previous studies. 13,14 After prolonged HCD, alterations in
converted into metric units (μm) using the coefficient lipid metabolism were detected in the male rats and not in
obtained during calibration of the measuring system. On the female rats.
the digitized images, areas of edema were also traced using Obese male rats reported a significant decrease in
the “Freehand selection” tool in the Image J program and
presented as a percentage of the field of view. Measurements the serum levels of testosterone and estradiol by 3 and
were performed at ×400 magnification in ten fields of view. 1.5 times, respectively, compared to the control group
(P = 0.047 and P = 0.031, respectively). In addition, the
2.4. Statistical analysis testosterone/estradiol ratio decreased by approximately
Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 10.0. twofold (Table 2). In contrast, obese female rats exhibited
Normality was defined with the Shapiro-Wilk test. a significant increase in testosterone of approximately
Parametric variables were expressed as mean ± standard 60 times higher than the female rats in the control group
deviation (М ± SD) and analyzed with Student’s t-test. The (P = 0.016). Notably, obese female rats displayed hormonal
non-parametric variables were expressed as median and imbalance toward hyperandrogenism (Table 2). Blood
the 25 and 75 percentiles (Me [25; 75]), and the variables corticosterone levels were reportedly unchanged in obese
th
th
were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-test. For all male rats but were significantly increased in obese female
statistical tests, P < 0.05 was considered significant. rats. The increase in blood corticosterone levels in the
obese female rats was approximately 1.5 times higher than
3. Results reported in the female rats of the control group (P = 0.026)
3.1. Mass-metric parameters (Table 2).
We observed that the body weight of male and female 3.3. Morphological and metabolic parameters of the
rats in the HCD group did not significantly differ from musculus triceps surae
those in the control group (Table 1). The mass and MC Male rats in the HCD group displayed a significant
of visceral adipose tissues were significantly increased in decrease in the mass and MC of the musculus triceps surae
male and female rats in the HCD group, indicating visceral compared to the control group. In contrast, female rats in
obesity in the rats (Table 1). Notably, the increase in body the HCD group displayed a slight decrease in the mass and
weight was less pronounced in the obese female rats than MC of musculus triceps surae compared to the control
in the obese male rats. However, the proportion of visceral group (Table 1).
adipose tissue per total body weight was comparable in
obese male and female rats. The histostructure of the musculus triceps surae of
male and female rats in the control group corresponded
3.2. Biochemical and hormonal parameters of blood to the structure of a normal musculus triceps surae
15
Biochemical analysis of the serum from male and female (Figures 1А and В & 2А and В for male and female rats,
rats with HCD-induced obesity revealed biochemical respectively).

Table 1. Mass and mass coefficients (MC) of organs and tissues of the experimental animals
Index Male rats Female rats
Control (n = 13) HCD (n = 14) Control (n = 14) HCD (n = 13)
Body mass before the experiment (g) 230.69 ± 19.71 229.43 ± 25.54 224.79 ± 14.82 228.31 ± 6.52
Body mass after 8 weeks of experiment (g) 358.69 ± 44.27 384.36 ± 73.72 289.86 ± 16.07 281.31 ± 43.07
Body mass after 16 weeks of experiment (g) 433.46 ± 48.38 471.14 ± 94.11 310.93 ± 25.43 316.31 ± 72.07
Mass of visceral adipose tissue (g) 7.99 ± 2.64 22.99 ± 11.97*** 8.86 ± 4.86 17.22 ± 9.07 ##
MC of the visceral adipose tissue (%) 1.82 ± 0.49 4.64 ± 1.67**** 2.78 ± 1.31 5.15 ± 2.11 ##
Mass of the musculus triceps surae (g) 2.64 ± 0.33 2.34 ± 0.35 * 1.93 ± 0.17 1.81 ± 0.45
MC of the musculus triceps surae (%) 0.61 ± 0.05 0.51 ± 0.07**** 0.62 ± 0.07 0.58 ± 0.11
Notes: Data are presented as mean±standard deviation; statistically significant differences between the male HCD and male control groups at *P < 0.05,
**P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, and ****P < 0.0001; statistically significant difference between the female HCD and female control groups at P < 0.01.
##
Abbreviation: HCD: High-calorie diet.

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2024) 3 https://doi.org/10.36922/gtm.2321