EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE VIABILITY OF DIABETIC RAT EMBRYOS DURING THE PRE-IMPLANTATION PHASE

• Grant number: 25/10482-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Débora Cristina Damasceno
• Grantee: Mireli de Lima Firmino
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Women with type 2 Diabetes mellitus (pre-gestational diabetes) have a 2.69-fold higher riskof infertility compared to women without diabetes. The objective of this study is to evaluatethe effect of vitamin D3 on embryos from diabetic rats in order to better understand whethersupplementation during the pre-gestational period and early pregnancy improvesembryonic development, particularly in relation to diabetes-induced oxidative stress inembryos. All experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Use Ethics Committee(CEUA Protocol Number: 1432/2023). Sprague-Dawley rats were obtained from aspecialized animal production facility and maintained in the animal housing unit undercontrolled conditions. In adulthood, the female rats were randomly assigned to fourexperimental groups (n = 6/group, based on sample size calculation by the biostatisticianfrom the local Research Support Office): Non-diabetic rats treated with vehicle (sunfloweroil - C); Diabetic rats (DMod) (chemically induced by a beta-cytotoxic drug during theneonatal period) treated with vehicle; Non-diabetic rats treated with a vitamin D3 solution(4000 IU - VIT) diluted in oil; Diabetic rats treated with the vitamin D3 solution (DModVIT).The treatment (sunflower oil or vitamin D3 solution) was administered for 15 consecutivedays prior to mating and during the first four days of pregnancy. On the following day (day 5of pregnancy), the rats were anesthetized and euthanized using sodium thiopental toexpose the uterine horns for embryo collection. The embryos were analyzed formorphological characteristics (structural and fluorescence-based analysis for oxidativemarkers, mitochondrial membrane potential, and antioxidant enzyme activity - GSH) andfor cell counting in the pre-implantation embryo. A p-value < 0.05 was considered thestatistical significance limit. (AU)