Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model

Dietary polyphenols’ role in early life is not clear. While accumulating studies show both beneficial and deleterious effects of maternal consumption of these bioactive compounds on offspring’s adult health, very few studies have focused on the impact of paternal consumption. In addition, the potent...

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Main Authors: Vanessa Cardoso Pires, Sara Lima Anacleto, Cristiane Matté, Odair Aguiar, Franco Maria Lajolo, Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto, Thomas Prates Ong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Antioxidants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/779
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author Vanessa Cardoso Pires
Sara Lima Anacleto
Cristiane Matté
Odair Aguiar
Franco Maria Lajolo
Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto
Thomas Prates Ong
author_facet Vanessa Cardoso Pires
Sara Lima Anacleto
Cristiane Matté
Odair Aguiar
Franco Maria Lajolo
Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto
Thomas Prates Ong
author_sort Vanessa Cardoso Pires
collection DOAJ
description Dietary polyphenols’ role in early life is not clear. While accumulating studies show both beneficial and deleterious effects of maternal consumption of these bioactive compounds on offspring’s adult health, very few studies have focused on the impact of paternal consumption. In addition, the potential interaction of combined parental polyphenol consumption is still not known. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of maternal (gestation/lactation) and/or paternal (preconception) blackberry polyphenol (anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and quercetin) methanolic extract consumption on C57BL/6 female mice offspring. Blackberry polyphenol consumption by fathers improved their sperm production and increased fertility. Blackberry polyphenol consumption by fathers, but not mothers, increased their plasma antioxidant capacity. All parental interventions decreased offspring perinatal mortality, with combined fathers’ and mothers’ polyphenol consumption exerting the most pronounced effects. Paternal or maternal polyphenol consumption decreased plasma total antioxidant capacity in the female offspring. On the other hand, combined parental consumption had opposing effects on the offspring. Only maternal polyphenol interventions increased glucose tolerance in the female offspring. These data only partially confirm our hypothesis that combined paternal and maternal polyphenol intervention would lead to better outcomes in the offspring. These results further show that blackberry polyphenols’ effects on offspring health depend on whether their consumption occurred through the father, mother, or both. This suggests that in order to promote long-term health in descendants, nutritional interventions, including those with polyphenols, should target not only the mother but also the future father.
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spelling doaj-art-6966cc787ebe4b10bfd7e3b2a948522b2025-08-20T02:48:19ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212025-06-0114777910.3390/antiox14070779Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse ModelVanessa Cardoso Pires0Sara Lima Anacleto1Cristiane Matté2Odair Aguiar3Franco Maria Lajolo4Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto5Thomas Prates Ong6Department of Food Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, BrazilDepartment of Food Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, BrazilDepartment of Biochemistry, Institute of Fundamental Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-264, BrazilDepartment of Biosciences, Institute of Health and Society, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos 11050-020, BrazilDepartment of Food Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, BrazilDepartment of Food Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, BrazilDepartment of Food Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, BrazilDietary polyphenols’ role in early life is not clear. While accumulating studies show both beneficial and deleterious effects of maternal consumption of these bioactive compounds on offspring’s adult health, very few studies have focused on the impact of paternal consumption. In addition, the potential interaction of combined parental polyphenol consumption is still not known. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of maternal (gestation/lactation) and/or paternal (preconception) blackberry polyphenol (anthocyanins, ellagitannins, and quercetin) methanolic extract consumption on C57BL/6 female mice offspring. Blackberry polyphenol consumption by fathers improved their sperm production and increased fertility. Blackberry polyphenol consumption by fathers, but not mothers, increased their plasma antioxidant capacity. All parental interventions decreased offspring perinatal mortality, with combined fathers’ and mothers’ polyphenol consumption exerting the most pronounced effects. Paternal or maternal polyphenol consumption decreased plasma total antioxidant capacity in the female offspring. On the other hand, combined parental consumption had opposing effects on the offspring. Only maternal polyphenol interventions increased glucose tolerance in the female offspring. These data only partially confirm our hypothesis that combined paternal and maternal polyphenol intervention would lead to better outcomes in the offspring. These results further show that blackberry polyphenols’ effects on offspring health depend on whether their consumption occurred through the father, mother, or both. This suggests that in order to promote long-term health in descendants, nutritional interventions, including those with polyphenols, should target not only the mother but also the future father.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/779blackberrypolyphenolsreproductionPOHaDDOHaDmice
spellingShingle Vanessa Cardoso Pires
Sara Lima Anacleto
Cristiane Matté
Odair Aguiar
Franco Maria Lajolo
Neuza Mariko Aymoto Hassimotto
Thomas Prates Ong
Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
Antioxidants
blackberry
polyphenols
reproduction
POHaD
DOHaD
mice
title Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
title_full Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
title_fullStr Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
title_full_unstemmed Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
title_short Paternal and/or Maternal Blackberry (<i>Rubus</i> spp.) Polyphenolic Extract Consumption Improved Paternal Fertility and Differentially Affected Female Offspring Antioxidant Capacity and Metabolic Programming in a Mouse Model
title_sort paternal and or maternal blackberry i rubus i spp polyphenolic extract consumption improved paternal fertility and differentially affected female offspring antioxidant capacity and metabolic programming in a mouse model
topic blackberry
polyphenols
reproduction
POHaD
DOHaD
mice
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/779
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