Reprod Biol Endocrin
-
Reprod Biol Endocrin · Mar 2020
Glucose, insulin, insulin receptor subunits α and β in normal and spontaneously diabetic and obese ob/ob and db/db infertile mouse testis and hypophysis.
Type 2 diabetes touches young subjects of reproductive age in epidemic proportion. This study assesses glucose, total InsulinT, Insulin2 and insulin receptor subunits α and β in testis during mouse development then, in the spontaneously type 2 diabetes models associated with infertility db/db and ob/ob mice. IR-β and α were also assessed in spermatozoa (SPZ), anterior pituitary (AP) and serum. ⋯ Insulin regulates glucose in tubules not in the interstitium. The mouse interstitium contains InsulinT and Insulin2 whereas tubules contain Insulin2. Decreased 110 kDa IR-β and 135 kDa IR-α in the db/db and ob/ob interstitial tissue suggest a loss of active receptor sites that could alter the testicular cell insulin binding and response to the hormone. Decreased IR-β levels were insufficient to stimulate downstream effectors in AP and tubules. IR-α shedding increased in db/db and ob/ob mice.