Role of ghrelin in fetal programming: transgenerational effects

TORRES PJ; BIANCONI S; LUQUE EM; CARLINI VP; RAMÍREZ N; MARTINI AC

Córdoba

Jornada; XIX Jornadas de Investigación Científica; 2018

During pregnancy in mammals, maternal and fetal ghrelin (Ghrl) increase physiologically, suggesting that the peptide exerts an important role ingestation. We have previously described in mice, that the intragestational changes in ghrelinemia modify in the litter: body weight gain, puberty onset, andfertility (at adulthood). The purpose of this study was to determine if the changes previously found (in the first generation ?G1-), were transgenerational(i.e. if they appear also in G2 and G3).Mice dams were treated during the whole pregnancy with Ghrl (4 nmol/animal/day), an antagonist [Ant=(D-Lys3)GHRP-6, 6 nmol/animal/day] or thevehicle (C=ClNa 0.9%). Once delivered, pups did not receive any further treatment. At adulthood, females were paired with untreated males and in thelitter (G2), we evaluated: size and litter weight and physical, neurobiological and sexual development. At adulthood, we quantified in males, sperm quality,and fertility; and in females, reproductive success (at Day 18 of gestation). A group of these females was allowed to deliver and the above-mentionedvariables were also evaluated in G3.In the three generations, dams from the Ant group tend to deliver more pups, showing consequently, a higher weight/litter. In G3, pups exhibited a higherinitial weight (Ant=1.84±0.07 vs Ghrl=1.78±0.07, p