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Repercussions of maternal obesity and/or post natal on the Sertoli cells and the expression of paracrine factors intratesticula

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Author(s):
Vanessa Reame
Total Authors: 1
Document type: Master's Dissertation
Press: Campinas, SP.
Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Biologia
Defense date:
Examining board members:
Rejane Maira Góes; Mary Anne Heidi Dolder; Glaura Scantamburlo Alves Fernandes
Advisor: Maria Etelvina Pinto Fochi; Rejane Maira Góes
Abstract

Obesity is associated with several health damage, but the effects on the reproductive system and male reproduction are still poorly understood. A study recently in our laboratory compared the effects of the obesogenic environment (OE) at different stages of development of rats on sperm production in adulthood. All the groups exposed to OE showed sperm damage. To clarify these findings in the present study, we investigated whether the different periods of exposure to OE resulted in functional changes in Sertoli cells and permanently changed the intratesticular paracrine environment. Wistar adult rats exposed to maternal obesity during pregnancy (O1), during pregnancy / lactation (O2), or subject to OE after weaning (O3), lactation to adulthood (O4) or from pregnancy to adulthood ( O5) and control group (C) were used. The maternal obesity or OE were induced by diet with 20% lipids (control diet: 4% lipid) for 15 weeks. The analysis by light microscopy showed no morphological changes in Sertoli cells and in the number of these cells expressing the androgen receptor in the seventh and eighth stages of the cycle of seminiferous epithelium. However, the percentage of tubules with premature separation of germ cells was accentuated in O5, moderate in groups O1, O2 and O3 and lower in O4. Serum testosterone decreased by 60% in O3 and O5, 27% in O2, ~ 45% in O4 and did not change in O1. The dosage of cytokines and growth factor with the use multiplex assays, showed an increase of TNF-'alpha' and the reduction of FGF-2 in the testis of groups O1, O3 and O4, reduced IL-1'alpha' and IL-1'beta' in O2 group, and decreased IL-1'alpha' in the O5 group. Neither group showed a change for IL-6. Additionally, analysis by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting showed that the expression of connexin 43 decreased to the group exposed to OE for all life. Changes in TNF-'alpha' and IL-1'alpha' may have increased the permeability of Blood-Testis barrier and along with the drop in testosterone may explain the detachment of germ cells and the loss in efficiency and sperm production. These data indicate that the OE modulates testicular paracrine factors differentially, depending on the exposure period (AU)

FAPESP's process: 13/18011-9 - EFFECTS OF MATERNAL OBESITY AND/OR POST-NATAL ON SERTOLI CELLS AND EXPRESSION OF INTRA-TESTICULAR PARACRINE FACTORS
Grantee:Vanessa Reame
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master