Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38639009›Full record

ArticleAndrology2025

Insulin-like growth factor-1 promotes the testicular sperm production by improving germ cell survival and proliferation in high-fat diet-treated male mice.

Guoqiang Liu, Di Liu, Minggang Zhu, Mingrui Zhang, Chunyang Li, Xiaohong Xu, Feng Pan

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Andrology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Guoqiang LiuDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6452-8929
Di LiuDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Minggang ZhuDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Mingrui ZhangDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Chunyang LiDepartment of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of, Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Xiaohong XuDepartment of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of, Ministry of Education for Neurological Disorders, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Feng PanDepartment of Urology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Wuhan Union Hospital · CNHuazhong University of Science and Technology · CN

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81873854
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA decrease in semen volume among men is comparable to the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. The anabolic hormone insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) can promote proliferation and differentiation in cultured mouse spermatogonial stem cells and alleviate abnormal in vitro spermatogenesis. Additionally, serum IGF-1 level is negatively correlated with body mass index. Whereas the role of IGF-1 in the sperm production in obese men remains unclear.

objectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of IGF-1 on spermatogenesis of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice.

methodsAn HFD-induced obesity mouse model was established. Alterations in testicular morphology, sperm count, proliferation, and apoptosis were observed by H&E staining,immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. Exogenous recombinant IGF-1 was administered to obese mice to investigate the correlations between altered testicular IGF-1 levels and sperm production.

resultsThe sperm count was reduced, the testicular structure was disordered, and sex hormone levels were abnormal in HFD-fed mice compared with normal diet-fed mice. The expression of proliferation-related antigens such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 was decreased, while that of proapoptotic proteins such as c-caspase3 was increased in testes from HFD-fed mice. Most importantly, the phosphorylation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in testes was decreased due to reductions in IGF-1 from hepatocytes and Sertoli cells. Recombinant IGF-1 alleviated these functional impairments by promoting IGF-1R, Akt, and Erk1/2 phosphorylation in the testes.

conclusionsInsufficient IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling is intimately linked to damaged sperm production in obese male mice. Exogenous IGF-1 can improve survival and proliferation as well as sperm production. This study provides a novel theoretical basis and a target for the treatment of obese men with oligozoospermia.

Indexed as

Cell ProliferationInsulin-Like Growth Factor IObesitySpermatogenesisSpermatozoaTestisAnimalsApoptosisCell SurvivalDiet, High-FatInsulin-Like PeptidesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSperm CountInsulin-Like Growth Factor IInsulin-Like Peptidesapoptosishigh‐fat dietIGF‐1obesityproliferationspermatogenesis

Identifiers

PMID38639009
PMCPMC11815545
OpenAlexW4394957412

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.