Uterine proliferative changes in rats exposed to a cafeteria diet after weaning.

GASTIAZORO MP; GUERRERO SCHIMPF ML; LAZZARINO G; ANDREOLI MF; RAMOS JG; DURANDO M; LUQUE EH; VARAYOUD J

Congreso; SAIC 2016; 2016

The development of endometrial cancer is associated with obesity. A model of obesity that more closely reflects western diet habits is the cafeteria (CAF) diet. The CAF diet effects on uterine proliferative response is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CAF diet effects on uterine morphology, proliferation and estrogen-related proteins on adult rats. Twenty-one-day-old female Wistar rats were fed after weaning with: a standard rodent chow diet (control group, C) or cafeteria diet (CAF group), with highly palatable energy dense foods that are prevalent in western society. The animals were weekly weighted and sacrificed on the first day of diestrous-stage, 20 weeks after CAF treatment. Blood was collected to determine metabolic parameters and estradiol levels and the uterus was removed and included in paraffin for histological and immunohistochemical studies. Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERa), Vimentin (Vim) and Ki67 (proliferation marker) were determined using immunohistochemistry. The CAF group showed obesity after 14 weeks of treatment (p