title: Effects of maternal undernutrition on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in female sheep offspring.
abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of maternal undernutrition on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in female sheep offspring. Pregnant ewes were fed to 100% throughout pregnancy (Control) or to 50% from 0 to 30 (R1) or from 31 to 100 days of gestation (R2). Female lambs were selected and fed to appetite throughout the study. At 2, 5.5 and 10 months of age a GnRH challenge was conducted. At the age of 10 months lambs were synchronized and blood samples were collected at 3 h intervals for 72 h following sponge removal. At slaughter (10 months) ovaries were removed and examined macroscopically. Maternal undernutrition did not affect the time of the onset of puberty, defined as the first increase in plasma progesterone concentrations >or=1 ng/ml. The magnitude of the pre-ovulatory gonadotrophin surge and the time to surge were unaffected by treatment. The LH and FSH response to GnRH challenge did not differ between groups at 2 and 5.5 months but at 10 months of age a higher (p < 0.05) FSH response was found in R1 group. Although the total number of visible follicles and corpora lutea did not differ between groups, a significant higher (p < 0.05) number of small (2-3 mm diameter) follicles in R1 group and a significant lower number (p < 0.05) of corpora lutea with diameter 8-11 mm and not even one with diameter >12 mm were detected in the ovaries of R2 lambs. In conclusion, maternal undernutrition during the first month of pregnancy resulted in increased pituitary sensitivity to GnRH and increased number of small follicles in the ovary, while during mid to late gestation resulted in a reduction of large corpora lutea in female offspring.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kotsampasi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chadio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadomichelakis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deligeorgis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalogiannis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Menegatos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zervas
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000662:veterinary*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone