HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: JOE-08-0121v1 198/3/625    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by da Silva Faria, T. Articles by da Fonte Ramos, C. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by da Silva Faria, T. Articles by da Fonte Ramos, C.

Urogenital Research Unit-UERJ, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenue 28 de Setembro, 87, Fundos, FCM, Terreo, 20551-030 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

(Correspondence should be addressed to C da Fonte Ramos; Email: cristiane{at}pesquisador.com.br)

In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether maternal malnutrition during lactation alters the folliculogenesis and the expression of the gonadotropins and estrogen isoforms ovarian receptors in the offspring at puberty. At parturition, dams were randomly assigned to the following groups: control (C) group, with free access to a standard laboratory diet containing 23% protein and protein-energy-restricted (PER) group, with free access to an isoenergy and protein-restricted diet containing 8% protein. After weaning, the female pups had free access to standard laboratory diet. The maternal malnutrition caused a significant increase in the number of preantral (C=13.72±2.87; PER=26.36±3.03, P<0.01) and small antral follicles (C=9.32±1.35; PER=17.64±2.33, P<0.01) and decrease in the number of primordial (C=11.72±1.37; PER=3.92±0.60, P<0.01) and Graafian follicles (C=1.84±0.21; PER=0.96±0.11, P<0.01), and corpus luteum (C=2.00±0.28; PER=0.80±0.31, P<0.01). The estradiol serum concentration was significantly higher (C=67.86±4.39; PER=83.29±2.68, P<0.05) while testosterone serum concentration did not show statistical difference (C=0.09±0.02; PER=0.11±0.01, P>0.05) in the PER group. In relation to the receptors expression, maternal malnutrition led to a significant increase in the amount of Fshr (C=0.89±0.04; PER=1.07±0.03, P<0.05) and Lhcqr (C=0.87±0.15; PER=1.33±0.08, P<0.05) transcripts and a significant decrease in the amount of Ar (C=0.59±0.006; PER=0.13±0.080, P<0.05), ER (Esr1) (C=3.33±0.71; PER=0.74±0.50, P<0.05), ERβ1 (Esr2) (C=1.33±0.06; PER=0.49±0.36, P<0.05), and ERβ2 (Esr2) (C=3.28±0.60; PER=0.62±0.34, P<0.05) transcripts. In conclusion, perinatal maternal malnutrition can directly affect folliculogenesis at puberty probably as a consequence of changes in the ovarian expression of gonadotropins, androgen and estrogens isoforms receptors. Long-term sexual alterations could be expected in this experimental model, since a reduction in the primordial follicle number is observed, which can result in a decrease in the reproductive lifetime and an earlier termination of breeding capacity.