The non-monotonic dose-effect of resveratrol on testicular steroidogenesis in male arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus): Mechanisms revealed by integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

The Arctic fox is a mammal that is intensively farmed for its valuable fur, and its farming industry has developed on a large scale worldwide. However, the current farming of arctic foxes still faces challenges such as reproductive efficiency, which hinder the sustainable development of the industry. Resveratrol is a natural polyphenolic compound found in plants such as grapes and Japanese knotweed. It has attracted significant attention due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to have reproductive protective effects in mammals by regulating the steroid hormone synthesis pathway. In this experiment, 40 foxes were divided into four groups and fed diets containing 0, 10, 50, or 100 mg/kg of resveratrol for two months. The results showed that serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels exhibited a non-monotonic dose-response relationship, peaking in the 50 mg/kg group. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses indicated that low doses may have no significant effect due to insufficient pathway activation, medium doses likely promote testosterone synthesis by upregulating key steroidogenic genes such as HSD3B and CYP11A1, while high doses may have limited efficacy due to feedback inhibition and accelerated metabolism.

Conclusion

A moderate dose of resveratrol can most effectively enhance testosterone synthesis by modulating the steroidogenic network, providing a basis for its use as a feed additive in reproductive management.