title: Testis structure and function in a nongenetic hyperadipose rat model at prepubertal and adult ages.
abstract: There are few data for hormonal levels and testis structure and function during postnatal development in rats neonatally treated with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). In our study, newborn male pups were ip injected with MSG (4 mg/g body weight) every 2 d up to 10 d of age and investigated at prepubertal and adult ages. Plasma levels of leptin, LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone (T), corticosterone, and free T4 (FT4) were measured. MSG rats displayed elevated circulating levels of corticosterone and hyperadiposity/hyperleptinemia, regardless of the age examined; conversely, circulating prolactin levels were not affected. Moreover, prepubertal MSG rats revealed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in testis weight and the number of Sertoli (SC) and Leydig cells per testis. Leptin plasma levels were severalfold higher (2.41 vs. 8.07; P < 0.05) in prepubertal MSG rats, and these animals displayed plasma LH, FSH, T, and FT4 levels significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that testis development, as well as SC and Leydig cell proliferation, were disturbed in prepubertal MSG rats. Adult MSG rats also displayed significantly higher leptin plasma levels (7.26 vs. 27.04; P < 0.05) and lower (P < 0.05) LH and FSH plasma levels. However, T and FT4 plasma levels were normal, and no apparent alterations were observed in testis structure of MSG rats. Only the number of SCs per testis was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the adult MSG rats. In conclusion, although early installed hyperadipose/hyperleptinemia phenotype was probably responsible for the reproductive axis damages in MSG animals, it remains to be investigated whether this condition is the main factor for hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis dysfunction in MSG rats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences/Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil. lrfranca@icb.ufmg.br
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: França
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Suescun
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovambattista
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perello
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spinedi
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calandra
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine; D003345:Corticosterone