MOLECULAR INSIGHTS INTO SERTOLI CELL FUNCTION: THE IMPACT OF METABOLIC DISORDERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ON SPERMATOGENIC POTENTIAL

Abstract

Reduced fertility in males is one of the significant and pertinent health issues throughout the world, including several etiologies of which remain elusive in about half of the man. The male human total sperm count has decreased in past forty years, rising incidence of childhood obesity also couldn’t be fortuitous. Here, the molecular pathways by which childhood and adolescent obesity could disrupt future testosterone production are explained. Several mechanisms related with obesity which occurs in obesity may against the complicated exquisite metabolic cross talks that take place in testicular level during child and adolescent provide base to extrapolate the childhood obesity with low sperm density in adults. The International WHO studies show that since 1975, the prevalence level of heavy and obesity has soared worldwide, three folds. These issues are particularly alarming in children, with over 340 million young individuals aged 5 to 19 classified as overweight or obese as of 2016. When excess body fat accumulates, fat cells release pro-inflammatory cytokines and free fatty acids, triggering low-level, ongoing inflammation. This inflammation interferes with the body’s insulin usage, resulting in insulin resistance. Consequently, being overweight or obese is a key contributor to insulin resistance, prompting pancreatic β-cells to produce more insulin and leading to hyperinsulinemia. The present overview focuses on the influences of obesity in FSH, IGF system, and androgen/estrogen pathways with regard to SC function and the ’extracellular’ ‘niche’. Here they discuss how the molecular disruptions observed in obese as well as insulin resistant individuals could obstruct the principal signaling pathways which are otherwise necessary for SCs and GCs growth and differentiation and hence in adiposity-linked low sperm density risk during adulthood from childhood. Recent studies suggest that overweight or obesity can impact with negative effects the male reproductive system. Many investigations have described a correlation between increased body mass and reduced sperm quality. Epidemiological data also show that for the past 40 years sperm concentrations have reduced, pediatric obesity has increased indicating that there is a correlation between the two events. However, the relationship between childhood and adolescent obesity and possible adulthood male infertility has not been well understood and explored by linking intermediary steps.