EFFECTS OF EXCESS OF SATURATED LIPIDS AND CURCUMIN IN DIET MOTHER ON THE REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS OF ADULT MALE RATS

Abstract

It is known that disturbances in maternal nutrition can lead to permanent adaptations in the physiology of various organs of offspring, but the consequences for the testis and male reproductive parameters are poorly understood. Recently obtained data showed that maternal obesity associated with the excess of unsaturated lipids in the diet reduces sperm production in rats in adulthood, suggesting that the phases of pregnancy and lactation are particularly sensitive to these two environmental factors. Thus, it is relevant to examine whether this also occurs in the case of intake of saturated lipids. The diet components can have a beneficial effect on the health. This is the case of curcumin that has several beneficial properties such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. The objective of this work is to evaluate the consequences of the maternal diet enriched with saturated lipids, with curcumin or both on the reproductive parameters of adult rats. Five groups (n = 10 per group) of adult Wistar rats (12 months old) born to mothers treated with standard diet (C), sons of mothers treated with standard diet and corn oil (O), sons of mothers treated with curcumin (Cm), sons of mothers treated with diet supplemented with lard (L), sons of mothers treated with diet supplemented with lard and curcumin (LCm). Maternal feeding will begin four weeks before mating. The diet enriched with lipids will contain 31.2% of lard. Sigma curcumin will be diluted in corn oil at the rate of 100 mg / kg of rat, oral administration (gavage) every other day from the 8th week to the 12th week of the mother's lifetime, when mating, being continuous during gestation (21 days) and lactation (21 days). The rats will be analyzed for various biometric and metabolic parameters, including lipid profile, testosterone and estrogen dosage. The testes will be evaluated for histology, percentage of the main tissue compartments and diameter of the seminiferous tubules. Expression of the androgen receptors, the gamma type peroxisome proliferator receptor, and the receptor X of liver ± type, will be examined by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. Biochemical analyzes of the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase will be examined, as well as the level of lipid peroxidation in the testicular and plasma samples. The following sperm parameters will be estimated: testicular sperm count, daily sperm production, sperm reserve and sperm transit time in epididymal regions, motility and viability of spermatozoa. This research will provide unprecedented information on the effects of saturated lipids and curcumin in the maternal diet on testicular morphology and physiology of the offspring, expanding knowledge on the influence of dietary components on testicular development programming and its possible implications for animal reproduction.