Rhodiola polysaccharides affect the antioxidant capacity and testosterone secretion of PLCs in hypoxia environment through the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids and glutathione

Hypoxia induces oxidative stress and cellular dysfunction. Rhodiola polysaccharide (RDP), a distinguished bioactive compound of Rhodiola rosea L., demonstrates strong antioxidant activity. Whether the RDP have protective effect on hypoxia injury of porcine Leydig cells (PLCs) merits further investigation. Our research showed that when RDP was introduced to PLCs under hypoxia condition, both the antioxidant capacity and testosterone (T) secretion of PLCs were enhanced. Notably, this treatment revealed a significant correlation between T levels and specific metabolites, suggesting RDP's role in diminishing reactive oxygen species and fortifying antioxidant defenses. Moreover, RDP promoted the synthesis of antioxidant metabolites and modulated pathways involved in unsaturated fatty acids and glutathione metabolism, mitigating oxidative stress. These results suggested that RDP could improve the cellular antioxidant capacity and stimulate T secretion of PLCs in hypoxia environment through multiple pathways.