Effects of intragestational ghrelin on posnatal development and sperm functional activity of the male offspring

FIGUEROA S; TORRES PJ; DIEZ M; CARLINI VP; VINCENTI LM; MARTINI AC (DEBE SER CONSIDERADA ÚLTIMO AUTOR CONJUNTO); LUQUE EM (DEBE SER CONSIDERADA COMO ÚLTIMA AUTORA CONJUNTA)

Córdoba

Jornada; XVII Jornada de Investigación de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; 2016

SECyT - Facultad de Ciencias Médicas

Ghrelin (Ghr) is a peptide hormone that links reproductive physiology with energy balance. The physiological increase on Ghr, characteristic of gestation, suggests that the peptide has an important role on pregnancy success and/or litter development. The objective of this study was to evaluate, in mice, the effects of intragestational exogenous Ghr administration or intragestational endogenous Ghr inhibition (by an antagonist) on the posnatal development of male offspring.Female mice were injected (s.c.) during the whole pregnancy with: Ghr (4 nmol/animal/day), an antagonist (Ant: (D-Lys3)GHRP-6; 6 nmol/animal/day) or the vehicle (C: isotonic solution). Their litters were evaluated for posnatal growth, neurobiologic development and sexual maturation and, at adulthood, for sperm quality. Results were analyzed by ANOVA (of repeated measures when necessary).Neither daily intake nor dam´s weight was modified by the treatments. Litter growth or physical/neurobiological maturation weren´t modified either. The intragestational treatment with Ant brought male offspring sexual development forward (testicular descent day 19: Ant=64±5.9 vs Ghr=50.1±6.9 and C=44.9±7.9, n=7-13 litters/treatment; p