INVESTIGADORES
BAIER Carlos Javier
artículos
Título:
Prenatal maternal restraint stress exposure alters the reproductive hormone profile and testis development of the rat male offspring
Autor/es:
PALLARÉS M.E.; ADROVER E.; BAIER C.J.; BOURGUIGNON N.S.; MONTELEONE M.C.; BROCCO M.A.; GONZÁLEZ-CALVAR S.I.; ANTONELLI M.C.
Revista:
STRESS
Editorial:
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2013 vol. 16 p. 429 - 440
ISSN:
1025-3890
Resumen:
Several
studies have demonstrated that the presence of stressors during pregnancy
induces adverse effects on the neuroendocrine system of the offspring later in
life. In the present work, we investigated the effects of early programming on
the male reproductive system, employing a prenatal stress (PS) paradigm. This
study found that when pregnant dams were placed in a plastic restrainer three
times a day during the last week of pregnancy, the offspring showed reduced
anogenital distance and delayed testicular descent. Serum luteinising hormone
(LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were decreased at postnatal
day (PND) 28 and testosterone was decreased at PND 75. Increased testosterone
plus dihydrotestosterone (T+DHT) concentrations correlated with increased testicular 5alpha- Reductase-1 (5alpha-R-1) mRNA expression at PND 28.
Moreover, PS accelerated spermatogenesis at PND 35 and 60, and increased mean
seminiferous tubule diameter in pubertal offspring and reduced Leydig cell
number was observed at PND 35 and 60. PS offspring had increased androgen
receptor (AR) mRNA level at PND 28, and at PND 35 had increased the numbers of
Sertoli cells immunopositive for AR. Overall, the results confirm that stress
during gestation can induce long-term effects on the male offspring
reproductive system. Of particular interest is the pre-pubertal imbalance of
circulating hormones that probably trigger accelerated testicular development,
followed by an increase in total androgens and a decrease in testosterone
concentration during adulthood. Exposure to an unfavourable intrauterine
environment might prepare for harsh external conditions by triggering early
puberty, increasing reproductive potential.