title: Obesity alters the ovarian glucidic homeostasis disrupting the reproductive outcome of female rats.
abstract: Obesity constitutes a health problem of increasing worldwide prevalence related to many reproductive problems such as infertility, ovulation dysfunction, preterm delivery, fetal growth disorders, etc. The mechanisms linking obesity to these pathologies are not fully understood. Cafeteria diet (CAF) is the animal model used for the study of obesity that more closely reflects western diet habits. Previously we described that CAF induces obesity associated to hyperglycemia, reduced ovarian reserve, presence of follicular cysts and ovulatory impairments. The aim of the present study was to contribute in the understanding of the physiological mechanisms altered as consequence of obesity. For that purpose, female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with a standard diet (control group) or CAF (Obese group). We found that CAF fed-rats developed obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Ovaries from obese rats showed decreased glucose uptake and became insulin resistant, showing decreased ovarian expression of glucotransporter type 4 and insulin receptor gene expression respect to controls. These animals showed an increased follicular nitric oxyde synthase expression that may be responsible for the ovulatory disruptions and for inflammation, a common feature in obesity. Obese rats resulted subfertile and their pups were macrosomic. We conclude that obesity alters the systemic and the ovarian glucidic homeostasis impairing the reproductive outcome. Since macrosomia is a risk factor for metabolic and obstetric disorders in adult life, we suggest that obesity is impacting not only on health and reproduction but it is also impacting on health and reproduction of the offspring.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET-UBA), Pabellón 2, Cdad. Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Bazzano
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET-UBA), Pabellón 2, Cdad. Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2. Cdad. Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Dante Agustín
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE-CONICET-UBA), Pabellón 2, Cdad. Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: evelinmariel@gmail.com.ar.
authors.forename: Evelin Mariel
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Elia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; C495694:Slc2a4 protein, rat; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D011972:Receptor, Insulin
keywords: Fertility; Glucose; Glut-4; Insulin; Obesity; Ovary; Reproductive outcome