Gestational stress: A morphological and endocrine review in male rat progeny

PALLARES ME; ADROVER E; KATUNAR MR; BAIER CJ; CALANDRA RS; GONZALEZ-CALVAR, SI; ANTONELLI MC

San Diego. Estados Unidos

Congreso; 40th Annual Meeting Society for Neuroscience; 2010

Society for Neuroscience

Maternal stress has been reported to induce long term behavioral and biochemical abnormalities in their Offspring. For example, it was shown to suppress testosterone (T) surge that occurs in the male embryo between gestational days 17 and 18, responsible for the brain sexual differentiation. In a first approach to evaluate de hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis in our model of prenatal stress (PS) we analyzed external and histological morphometric parameters and quantified androgen serum levels. Pregnant Wistar dams were subjected to three daily 45 min period sessions of restraint stress, between 14 and 21 days of gestation. Anogenital distances were measured at postnatal day (PND) 1, 10 and 21. Analysis of testis descent, defined as the day when both testes fully descended into the scrotal sac, was initiated on PND 21. Hormonal status of 28, 35, 45, 60 and 75 days old male progeny was determined by measuring T and 5alpha Androstane 3 alpha 17 beta Diol (DIOL) serum levels by radioimmunoassay. Finally the testes of 35 and 60 days old animals were processed for histological morphometric measures: the maturation of the spermatogenic epithelium was assessed by applying the Johnsen’s score. We also quantified the mean tubular diameter and Leydig cell number. PS reduced anogenital  distances of the progeny at PND 21 in comparison to control © animals. Moreover, while C animals complete their testis descent at PND 23, PS animals showed a 2-day delay (i.e. PND 25). T  serum levels analysis revealed a 40% increase on PS offspring.  T serum concentrations in comparison with C at PND 60 and 75. DIOL serum levels were found to increase 61 and 63% in PS offspring at PND 28 and 45 respectively. Additionally, we found accelerated spermatogenesis on 35 and 60 days old PS rats showing a higher Johnsen’s score, in comparison to C animals. The mean tubular diameter was also augmented in PS animals. However, the mean Leydig cell number was reduced on PS rats. Our results show a reduced anogenital distance and delayed testicular descent in the offspring. Additionally, the accelerated maturation of the spermatogenesis observed in PS offspring, might be related to the increase of androgen serum levels at earlier stages of life. In summary, our studies demonstrate that stress during gestation induces long term effects on the male progeny HPT axis and testicular morphology.