Intergenerational Effects of Sodium Saccharin on the Molecular Markers of Angiogenesis in the Rat Prostate

• Grant number: 24/17187-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Pereira
• Grantee: Anne Beatriz de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Factors in the maternal intrauterine environment can modulate fetal development, potentially affecting the morphology and physiology of an organ in adulthood. It is known that maternal consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as sodium saccharin, can alter the intrauterine environment since they cross the placental barrier. Sodium saccharin is a calorie-free artificial sweetener used to sweeten beverages and foods, primarily in diet products. Studies have already linked the consumption of this food additive to metabolic disorders, an increased risk of cancer in the urinary and genital systems, and changes in the development of the male genital system. However, studies addressing the relationship between maternal consumption of saccharin and its effects on prostate health are still scarce. Thus, considering the period of susceptibility of the prostate during the prenatal masculinization window, the aim of this study was to evaluate the intergenerational effects of sodium saccharin exposure on prostatic morphology, focusing on molecular markers of angiogenesis. For this purpose, pregnant rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain will be divided into two experimental groups: Control Group (C): consisting of rats that will consume food and water ad libitum (n=10); Sodium Saccharin Group (S): consisting of rats that will consume food and water ad libitum sweetened with 0.3% sodium saccharin (n=10). After the weaning period, the F1 offspring will receive feed and water ad libitum, and after 120 days of age, they will be euthanized, and the ventral prostate of each male will be removed, weighed, and processed histologically for morphological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical analyses according to standardized procedures.