Effect of Paternal Diet on Spermatogenesis and Offspring Health: Focus on Epigenetics and Interventions with Food Bioactive Compounds

Author(s)

Pascoal, Gabriela de Freitas Laiber ; Geraldi, Marina Vilar ; Marostica, Mario Roberto, Jr. ; Ong, Thomas Prates

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NUTRIENTS; v. 14, n. 10, p. 18-pg., 2022-05-01.

Abstract

Infertility is a growing public health problem. Consumption of antioxidant bioactive food compounds (BFCs) that include micronutrients and non-nutrients has been highlighted as a potential strategy to protect against oxidative and inflammatory damage in the male reproductive system induced by obesity, alcohol, and toxicants and, thus, improve spermatogenesis and the fertility parameters. Paternal consumption of such dietary compounds could not only benefit the fathers but their offspring as well. Studies in the new field of paternal origins of health and disease show that paternal malnutrition can alter sperm epigenome, and this can alter fetal development and program an increased risk of metabolic diseases and breast cancer in adulthood. BFCs, such as ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, polyunsaturated fatty acids, trace elements, carnitines, N-acetylcysteine, and coenzyme Q10, have been shown to improve male gametogenesis, modulate epigenetics of germ cells, and the epigenetic signature of the offspring, restoring offspring metabolic health induced by stressors during early life. This indicates that, from a father's perspective, preconception is a valuable window of opportunity to start potential nutritional interventions with these BFCs to maximize sperm epigenetic integrity and promote adequate fetal growth and development, thus preventing chronic disease in adulthood. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/13320-9 - Effect of pulp oil and tea of leaves from avocado Hass variety associated with physical activity in the treatment of obesity induced by high-fat diet
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/11069-5 - Action of Brazilian berries on metabolic parameters and cognitive performance of obese animals
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/13465-8 - Lund University and State University of Campinas partnership for studies on cardiometabolic disease-preventive functional foods and diets
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/50333-1 - COBRA: a novel compound discovery pipeline for rapid and cost-effective identification of bioactives with health beneficial effects in Brazilian crops
• Grantee: Glaucia Maria Pastore
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/12244-8 - Effect of jabuticaba (Plinia jaboticaba) peel supplementation on metabolic profile in obese pre-diabetic subjects: a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial
• Grantee: Marina Vilar Geraldi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center
• Grantee: Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC