Effects of maternal undernutrition during lactation on estrogen and androgen receptor expressions in rat ovary at puberty

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2010-10, Vol.26 (10), p.993-999
• Main Authors: da Silva Faria, Tatiane, B.Sc., Ph.D, de Bittencourt Brasil, Flávia, R.N., M.Sc, Sampaio, Francisco J.B., M.D., Ph.D, da Fonte Ramos, Cristiane, B.Sc., Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: androgens; animal models; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; breast feeding; Corpus Luteum - metabolism; dams (mothers); Diet; Diet, Protein-Restricted; Dietary restrictions; Energy; Estrogen and estrogen receptor-α; Estrogen Receptor alpha - metabolism; Estrogens; experimental diets; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; females; Follicles; follicular development; Folliculogenesis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; hormone receptors; human lactation; Lactation; low calorie diet; low protein diet; Malnutrition; maternal nutrition; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Nutrition disorders; Offspring; Ovarian Follicle - metabolism; Pregnancy; progeny; Protein-Energy Malnutrition; puberty; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Androgen - metabolism; Rodents; Sexual Maturation - physiology; Theca Cells - metabolism; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2009.09.027

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maternal protein and energy-restricted diets during lactation in folliculogenesis and its relations to androgen and estrogen receptors in the offspring at puberty. Methods At parturition, dams were randomly assigned to a control (C) group, with free access to a standard laboratory diet containing 23% protein; a protein–energy-restricted (PER) group, with free access to an iso-energy and protein-restricted diet containing 8% protein; and an energy-restricted (ER) group, receiving standard laboratory diet in restricted quantities. After weaning, female pups had free access to standard laboratory diet. Results The number of preantral (C 13.72 ± 2.87, PER 26.36 ± 3.03, ER 26.88 ± 2.31, P < 0.05) and small antral (C 9.32 ± 1.32, PER 17.64 ± 2.33, ER 17.04 ± 2.22, P < 0.05) follicles was significantly increased by maternal malnutrition. The number of primordial follicles (C 10.57 ± 1.61, PER 4.30 ± 0.62, ER 6.28 ± 1.30, P < 0.05), Graafian follicles (C 1.04 ± 0.09, PER 0.52 ± 0.10, ER 0.36 ± 0.11, P < 0.01), and corpus luteum (C 4.84 ± 0.62, PER 2.80 ± 0.50, ER 3.24 ± 0.27, P < 0.05) was significantly reduced. Maternal protein- and energy-restricted diets led to a significant decrease in the androgen (C 9815 ± 1015, PER 6071 ± 838.7, ER 5811 ± 699.3, P < 0.05) and estrogen (C 0.79 ± 0.244, PER 0.12 ± 0.035, ER 0.20 ± 0.036, P < 0.05) α-receptors. In growing follicles, androgen receptor was immuno-expressed in granulosa and theca cells. Estrogen receptor-α was mainly expressed in stroma cells. Conclusion Our results suggest that maternal protein- and energy-restricted diets during lactation can disturb the follicular development of the offspring, probably by reducing the number of androgen and estrogen receptors in the ovary.