The ameliorative effects of bee bread supplement on the ovarian dysfunction induced by high-fat diet: Comparison with S. officinalis and shifting to normal diet supplement

Abstract

Bee bread, a naturally fermented bee product, could alleviate obesity-related disorders but its protective role against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ovarian dysfunction has not been studied yet. Thirty-eight Wister albino female rats were divided into control and HFD groups. The control group (n=7) received a normal diet for 14 weeks whereas HFD group was supplemented with 40% HFD for 10 weeks and then subdivided into 4 subgroups that received either HFD or HFD and S. Officinalis (300 mg/kg) or HFD and bee bread (0.5 gm/kg) or normal diet for another 4 weeks. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissues was done. The estrus cycle, final body weight, lipid profile, fasting serum glucose, and reproductive hormone levels were investigated. mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the blood and the ovarian cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1 (CYP17A1), cyclin D1(CCND1) and autophagy-related protein-5 (Atg5) were determined. Immunohistochemical assessment of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPAR????), and caspase-3 was done in all groups. Irregular estrous cycle altered folliculogenesis and reproductive hormones, dyslipidemia, and increased body weight were detected in HFD group. Also, upregulation of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and caspase -3 expressions, and downregulation of CCDN1, Atg5 and PPAR???? were observed in HFD group. Bee bread, S. officinalis and to a lesser extent normal diet supplements bee bread improved ovarian dysfunction induced by HFD by inducing autophagy and steroidogenic genes and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. Bee bread and S. officinalis could be protective agents against ovarian dysfunction and obesity induced by HFD.