Banca de DEFESA: PAULA RENATA DE CASTRO PEIXOTO

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : PAULA RENATA DE CASTRO PEIXOTO
DATE: 26/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Plataforma Google Meet
TITLE:

Effects of Opuntia Cochenillifera Extract on the Reproductive Morphophysiology of Obese Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

KEY WORDS:

Obesity. Nopalea cochenillifera. Morphology. Spermatogenesis. Steroidogenesis.

PAGES: 80
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Morfologia
SUBÁREA: Histologia
SUMMARY:

Obesity represents one of the greatest challenges to contemporary public health, characterized by metabolic and inflammatory disorders that compromise various body systems, including the reproductive system. The chronic inflammatory state and hormonal imbalance resulting from the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue directly affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in impaired spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. Considering the limitations of current pharmacological therapies, natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been extensively investigated, notably the extract of Opuntia cochenillifera (EOC), a cactus rich in polyphenols and traditionally used in the brazilian semi-arid region. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of the hydroethanolic extract of O. cochenillifera on the metabolic parameters and reproductive morphophysiology of diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice. Forty animals were distributed into four experimental groups (n=10): Control (C), Control + EOC (CP), High-fat (HF), and High-fat + EOC (HFP). Obesity was induced for 12 weeks, and treatment with EOC (200 mg/kg body mass) was carried out for an additional 8 weeks. Body mass, food and energy intake, fat distribution, glycemic and lipid profiles were evaluated; histological, morphometric, stereological, ultrastructural and molecular parameters of the testicles and histological parameters of the prostate. The results obtained demonstrated that treatment with O. cochenillifera extract promoted significant effects on the metabolism and reproductive morphophysiology of obese mice. Compared to the HF group, the HFP group showed a 24% reduction in body mass (p<0.0001) and a 321% and 242% reduction in epididymal and subcutaneous fat accumulation, respectively (p<0.0001). In parallel, there was a 35% reduction (p<0.0001) in fasting blood glucose, a considerable improvement in glucose tolerance, and a decrease in plasma levels of total cholesterol (-46%, p<0.0001) and triacylglycerol (-40%, p<0.01). In terms of reproduction, there was a 34% increase (p<0.0001) in testicular mass, a 25% increase (p<0.001) in seminiferous tubule volume density, a 39% increase (p<0.0001) in Leydig cell volume density, a 21% increase (p<0.0001) in seminiferous tubule diameter, and a 23% increase (p<0.05) in germinal epithelium height, demonstrating the recovery of spermatogenesis and gonadal function. Histological analysis demonstrated that the high-fat diet compromised testicular cytoarchitecture, affecting the integrity of seminiferous tubules and the germinal epithelium, whereas EOC mitigated these damages, preserving tissue organization. Ultrastructural analyses corroborated these findings, indicating preservation of subcellular integrity in treated animals. Gene expression analysis revealed that the high-fat diet induced dysregulation of metabolic, antioxidant, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways, alterations that were significantly attenuated by EOC treatment. Histological analyses of the prostate demonstrated that the high-fat diet compromised tissue organization, whereas treatment with the extract preserved glandular structural integrity. Taken together, the findings indicate that EOC reversed obesity and its deleterious effects by restoring metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative balance, thereby mitigating reproductive morphophysiological alterations in obese mice.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 3357609 - FABIANE FERREIRA MARTINS
Interna - 1714418 - KARINA CARLA DE PAULA MEDEIROS
Interno - 2859541 - PEDRO PAULO DE ANDRADE SANTOS
Externa à Instituição - DANIELLE BARBOSA MORAIS - UFOP