EFFECTS OF MATERNAL OBESITY AND/OR POST-NATAL ON SERTOLI CELLS AND EXPRESSION OF INTRA-TESTICULAR PARACRINE FACTORS

Abstract

Obesity is linked to several health damage, but the effects on the reproductive system and male reproduction are still poorly understood. A study recently completed in our laboratory compared the effects of obesity / consumption of saturated lipids at different stages of development of rats on sperm production in adulthood. The data indicated that the damage to sperm production is more severe the higher the degree of metabolic impairment secondary to obesity and lower testosterone synthesis. Interestingly, in addition, we found that maternal obesity and excess saturated lipids in pregnancy are so detrimental to the efficiency sperm in adulthood as exposure to obesogenic environment for prolonged periods, in later stages of development. In continuing this study and to obtain subsidies that allow us to clarify the intra-testicular mechanisms leading to impairment of sperm production, we intend to investigate whether the different periods of exposure to the obesogenic environment (OE) resulted in morphological and functional changes in Sertoli cells and changed permanently the paracrine intra-testicular environment. Thus, this study aims to investigate whether maternal obesity associated or not to the obesogenic environment after weaning affects the structure and function of Sertoli cells from adult rats and the expression of paracrine factors involved in intra-testicular testicular regulation and inflammatory response. Will be used Wistar rats exposed to maternal obesity only during pregnancy, lactation and perinatal life (pregnancy and lactation) or subject to the OE since lactation until adulthood or from pregnancy to adulthood.Maternal obesity or obesogenic environment induced second model will be established in the literature, the consumption of a diet with 20% fat saturated, for 15 weeks, while the standard ration used for the control group has 4% fat. The effects will be evaluated from analysis in light microscopy, the morphological and quantitative alterations of Sertoli cells and some markers of functional maturation, by immunocytochemistry. Secretory capacity will be assessed indirectly by analyzing the expression of transferrin by Western blotting, which will also be used to examine the components of the junctions. With the use of multiplex assays will be examined expression of interleukins IL-1±, IL-1², IL-6, growth factors TNF± , FGF-2, TGF²3 and IGF-1 and leptin in testicular extracts. It is hoped that this research brings unprecedented elements to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in sperm production caused by maternal obesity and post-natal.