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Maternal undernutrition during pregnancy and lactation affects testicular morphology, the stages of spermatogenic cycle, and the testicular IGF-I system in adult offspring

Part of: DOHaD Research in Latin-American

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2020

Graciela Pedrana Open the ORCID record for Graciela Pedrana [Opens in a new window] ,
Helen Viotti ,
Paula Lombide ,
Daniel Cavestany ,
Graeme B. Martin ,
Mark H. Vickers Open the ORCID record for Mark H. Vickers [Opens in a new window]  and
Deborah M. Sloboda
Graciela Pedrana*
Affiliation:
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Helen Viotti
Affiliation:
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Paula Lombide
Affiliation:
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Daniel Cavestany
Affiliation:
Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
Graeme B. Martin
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture and Environment, Faculty of Science, and UWA Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Mark H. Vickers
Affiliation:
Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Deborah M. Sloboda
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
*
Address for correspondence: Graciela Pedrana, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. Email: gpedrana@gmail.com
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Abstract

Maternal undernutrition decreases sperm production in male offspring, possibly through insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I). To test this hypothesis, we fed pregnant Wistar rats ad libitum with a standard diet (CONTROL) or fed 50% of CONTROL intake, either throughout pregnancy (UNP), lactation (UNL, or both (UNPL). After weaning, male offspring (n = 10 per treatment) were fed a standard diet until postnatal day 160, when testes process for histological and molecular analyses. IGF-I immunostaining area and intensity in the testis were greater (P = 0.003) in the UNPL group compared to CONTROL, but lower in the UNP group (P < 0.0001). Levels of IGF-I receptor transcript were lower in the UNPL and UNL groups, compared to CONTROL. There were more Ki-67-positive germ and Sertoli cells, in all underfed groups than in CONTROL. Compared to CONTROL, frequency of spermatogenic cycle stage VII was lower in all underfed groups, and seminiferous tubule diameter was smaller in UNP and UNPL. Plasma FSH concentrations were greater in UNP male offspring compared to all groups (P = 0.05), whereas inhibin B concentrations were greater in UNP (P = 0.01) and UNL (P = 0.003) than in CONTROL or UNPL. Thus, prenatal undernutrition leads to a decrease in testicular IGF-I levels, whereas of pre- and postnatal undernutrition increased testicular IGF-I levels and decreased amounts of IGF-I receptor mRNA in adult offspring. We conclude that maternal undernutrition during pregnancy and lactation leads to long-lasting effects on adult male offspring testicular morphology, spermatogenesis, and IGF-I testicular system.

Keywords

Undernutritiondevelopmental-programmingreproductiontestis
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 11 , Issue 5 , October 2020 , pp. 473 - 483
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2020

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