Maternal malnutrition during lactation affects folliculogenesis, gonadotropins, and leptin receptors in adult rats.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to evaluate if maternal malnutrition during lactation could possibly program folliculogenesis, the ovarian expression of gonadotropins, leptin, and their receptors.


METHODS
At parturition, dams were randomly assigned to a control group (C), with free access to a standard laboratory diet containing 23% protein, and a protein-energy-restricted group (PER), with free access to an iso-energy and protein-restricted diet containing 8% protein. After weaning, all female pups had free access to the standard laboratory diet until 90 d of age when they were euthanized in the diestrum stage.


RESULTS
Maternal malnutrition caused decreases in the number of primordial (C 6.60 ± 0.24, PER 5.20 ± 0.20, P = 0.01), primary (C 5.80 ± 0.66, PER 4.00 ± 0.31, P = 0.04), and Graafian (C 2.18 ± 0.29, PER 1.08 ± 0.37, P = 0.05) follicle numbers. Maternal malnutrition led to a significant decrease in the aromatase mRNA expression (C 0.536 ± 0.008, PER 0.353 ± 0.041, P = 0.01) follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (C 1.25 ± 0.17, PER 0.75 ± 0.02, P = 0.04), luteinizing hormone receptor (C 0.93 ± 0.09, PER 0.54 ± 0.10, P = 0.03), leptin (C 0.55 ± 0.03, PER 0.42 ± 0.03, P = 0.04), Ob-R (C 1.05 ± 0.12, PER 0.64 ± 0.07, P = 0.03), and Ob-Rb (C 1.34 ± 0.21, PER 0.47 ± 0.10, P = 0.02) transcripts when compared with C.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal malnutrition during lactation modulates folliculogenesis and the expression of the different isoforms of leptin and gonadotropin receptors and the aromatase enzyme. This probably is a consequence of alterations in perinatal leptin concentrations that may play a crucial role in determining the occurrence of long-term metabolic changes.
da Silva Faria
Tatiane
T
Urogenital Research Unit, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
de Bittencourt Brasil
Flávia
F
Sampaio
Francisco J B
FJ
da Fonte Ramos
Cristiane
C
D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007774:Lactation; D020738:Leptin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D006062:Gonadotropins; D020738:Leptin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D011974:Receptors, LH; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D001141:Aromatase