Effects of maternal obesity and postnatal overnutrition on male genital system of rats: morphofunctional evaluation of Leydig cell

• Grant number: 11/01612-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Rejane Maira Góes
• Grantee: Rejane Maira Góes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Perinatal nutritional disorders may compromise the functioning of various systems in adulthood and trigger a predisposition to obesity. It is known that obesity is associated with changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis and is admissible to assume their negative influence on reproductive function. However, little is known about the consequences of the obesogenic environment in pregnancy on morphophysiology of Leydig cell, especially if combined with the postnatal obesity. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of the obesogenic environment from prenatal development to sexual maturity, on the Leydig cell structure and steroidogenic capacity of Leydig cells, as well as the factors involved in the functional regulation of these cells in adulthood, such like growth factors IGF-1, TGF-² and TNF-±, and leptin hormone. Will be utilized into five groups of 10 Wistar rats (18 weeks old): G1 - rats born to normal parents and subjected to conventional diet; G2 - rats born to normal parents and treated with a high-fat diet from weaning; G3 - born rats of obese mothers are subject to overfeeding during lactation and treated with a high-fat diet from weaning; G4 - rats born to obese mothers are subject to overfeeding during lactation and treated with the conventional diet from weaning and G5 - born rats of obese mothers and subjected to conventional diet from birth. Various biometric parameters will be monitored throughout the experiment and, finally, tests will be performed to check for insulin resistance, plasma concentrations and intratesticular testosterone and estrogen, as well as serum levels of leptin, insulin, total cholesterol and triglycerides. The testis will be processed for light and transmission electron microscopy. The daily sperm production (DSP) and the transit time of sperm in the epididymis will be determined. Immunocytochemistry for androgen receptor (AR), estrogen-± (ER-±) and leptin (Ob-R) and steroidogenic enzymes (3²-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17²-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) will be held. The levels of receptors, steroidogenic enzymes and growth factors IGF-1, TGF-² and TNF-± also be quantified by SDS-PAGE / western blotting. It is considered that this research will help in clarifying the relationship between obesity and impaired Leydig cell vitality. (AU)

Scientific publications

(8)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA; PYTLOWANCIV, ELOISA ZANIN; REAME, VANESSA; RAFACHO, ALEX; RIBEIRO, DANIELE LISBOA; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. A high-fat diet fed during different periods of life impairs steroidogenesis of rat Leydig cells. Reproduction, v. 152, n. 6, p. 795-808, DEC 2016. (09/16071-9, 11/01612-4, 13/18011-9, 11/03596-6)

REAME, VANESSA; PYTLOWANCIV, ELOISA ZANIN; RIBEIRO, DANIELE LISBOA; PISSOLATO, THIAGO FERES; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; GOES, REJANE MAIRA; PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA. Obesogenic Environment by Excess of Dietary Fats in Different Phases of Development Reduces Spermatic Efficiency of Wistar Rats at Adulthood: Correlations with Metabolic Status. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, v. 91, n. 6, DEC 1 2014. (09/16071-9, 11/01612-4, 10/14815-8)

CHRISTANTE, CAROLINE MARIA; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. Maternal obesity disturbs the postnatal development of gonocytes in the rat without impairment of testis structure at prepubertal age. Reproduction, v. 146, n. 6, p. 549-558, DEC 2013. (09/16071-9, 11/01612-4)

PYTLOWANCIV, ELOISA ZANIN; PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA; REAME, VANESSA; GOBBO, MARINA GUIMARAES; RIBEIRO, DANIELE LISBOA; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. Differential ontogenetic exposure to obesogenic environment induces hyperproliferative status and nuclear receptors imbalance in the rat prostate at adulthood. PROSTATE, v. 76, n. 7, p. 662-678, MAY 15 2016. (09/16071-9, 11/01612-4, 11/03596-6, 13/18011-9)

DA COSTA, C. F. P.; GOBBO, M. G.; TABOGA, S. R.; PINTO-FOCHI, M. E.; GOES, R. M.. Melatonin intake since weaning ameliorates steroidogenic function and sperm motility of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. ANDROLOGY, v. 4, n. 3, p. 526-541, MAY 2016. (10/20756-4, 11/19467-0, 09/16071-9, 11/01612-4, 13/07210-0)

DE JESUS, MARIANA MARCIELO; NEGRIN, ANA CAROLINA; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. Histopathological alterations in the prostates of Mongolian gerbils exposed to a high-fat diet and di-n-butyl phthalate individually or in combination. REPRODUCTIVE TOXICOLOGY, v. 52, p. 26-39, APR 2015. (09/16071-9, 11/16406-0, 11/01612-4, 11/16316-1)

SCARPELLI, TATIANE PEREIRA; PYTLOWANCIV, ELOISA ZANIN; PINTO-FOCHI, MARIA ETELVINA; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. High-lipid nutritional environment in different ontogenetic periods induce developmental programming of rat prostate at aging. Reproduction, v. 165, n. 1, p. 14-pg., 2023-01-01. (11/01612-4, 11/03596-6)

PYTLOWANCIV, ELOISA ZANIN; RIBEIRO, DANIELE LISBOA; TAMARINDO, GUILHERME HENRIQUE; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; GOES, REJANE MAIRA. High-fat diet during sexual maturation induces hyperplastic differentiation of rat prostate and higher expression of AR45 isoform and ER alpha. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY, v. 22, n. 3, p. 12-pg., 2022-07-25. (11/01612-4, 11/03596-6)