Maternal obesity disturbs the postnatal development of gonocytes in the rat without impairment of testis structure at prepubertal age

Author(s)

Christante, Caroline Maria ^{[1, 2]} ; Taboga, Sebastiao Roberto ^{[1, 2]} ; Pinto-Fochi, Maria Etelvina ^[1] ; Goes, Rejane Maira ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Inst Biosci Letters & Exact Sci, Dept Biol, IBILCE UNESP, BR-15054000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Struct & Funct Biol, UNICAMP, BR-13083970 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Reproduction; v. 146, n. 6, p. 549-558, DEC 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 9

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated whether maternal obesity (MO) affects testis development and gonocyte differentiation in the rat from 0.5 to 14.5 postnatal days. Male Wistar rats were used at 0.5, 4.5, 7.5, and 14.5 days post partum (dpp). These rats were born from obese mothers, previously fed with a high-fat diet (20% saturated fat), for 15 weeks, or normal mothers that had received a balanced murine diet (4% lipids). MO did not affect testis weight or histology at birth but changed the migratory behavior of gonocytes. The density of relocated cells was higher in MO pups at 0.5 dpp, decreased at 4.5 dpp, and differed from those of control pups, where density increased exponentially from 0.5 to 7.5 dpp. The numerical density of gonocytes within seminiferous cords did not vary in MO, in relation to control neonates, for any age considered, but the testis weight was 50% lower at 4.5 dpp. A wide variation in plasmatic testosterone and estrogen levels was observed among the groups during the first week of age and MO pups exhibited higher steroid concentrations at 4.5 dpp, in comparison with controls. At this age, higher estrogen levels of MO pups impaired the gonocyte proliferation. At 7.5 dpp, the testicular size and other parameters of gonocyte development are retrieved. In conclusion, MO and saturated lipid diets disturb gonocyte development and sexual steroid levels during the first days of life, with recovery at prepubertal age. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/16071-9 - EFFECTS OF MATERNAL OBESITY AND POSTNATAL OVERNUTRITION ON MALE GENITAL SYSTEM OF RATS: MORPHOFUNCTIONAL EVALUATION OF LEYDIG CELL
• Grantee: Maria Etelvina Pinto Fochi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 11/01612-4 - Effects of maternal obesity and postnatal overnutrition on male genital system of rats: morphofunctional evaluation of Leydig cell
• Grantee: Rejane Maira Góes
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants