title: Variations in maternal care alter corticosterone and 17beta-estradiol levels, estrous cycle and folliculogenesis and stimulate the expression of estrogen receptors alpha and beta in the ovaries of UCh rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Variations in maternal care are associated with neonatal stress, hormonal disturbances and reproductive injuries during adulthood. However, the effects of these variations on sex hormones and steroid receptors during ovary development remain undetermined. This study aimed to investigate whether variations in maternal care are able to influence the hormonal profile, follicular dynamics and expression of AR, ER-alpha and ER-beta in the ovaries of UCh rat offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four adult UCh rats, aged 120 days, were randomly divided into two groups (UChA and UChB) and mated. Maternal care was assessed from birth (day 0) to the 10th postnatal day (PND). In adulthood, twenty adult female rats (UChA and UChB offspring; n = 10/group), aged 120 days, were euthanized by decapitation during the morning estrus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UChA females (providing high maternal care) more frequently displayed the behaviors of carrying pups, as well as licking/grooming and arched back nursing cares. Also, mothers providing high care had elevated corticosterone levels. Additionally, offspring receiving low maternal care showed the highest estrous cycle duration, increased corticosterone and 17beta-estradiol levels, overexpression of receptors ER-alpha and ER-beta, increased numbers of primordial, antral and mature follicles and accentuated granulosa cell proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that low maternal care alters corticosterone and 17beta-estradiol levels, disrupting the estrous cycle and folliculogenesis and differentially regulating the expression of ER-alpha and ER-beta in the ovaries of adult rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas-SP 13083-863, Brazil.
authors.forename: João P A
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Luiz G A
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Chuffa
authors.forename: Giovana R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Leonardo O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Beatriz A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fioruci
authors.forename: Otávio A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Wílson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Janete A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Anselmo-Franci
authors.forename: Patricia F F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Francisco E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D006728:Hormones; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D004958:Estradiol; D003345:Corticosterone