PRENATAL AMPHETAMINE EXPOSURE ALTERS ANDROGEN RECEPTOR LEVELS IN TESTIS AND HYPOTHALAMIC GNRH EXPRESSION IN ADULT MALE

PIETROBON, O. E.; SÁNCHEZ, M. B.; MICHEL, M. C.; VIRUEL, L. J.; NEIRA, F.; MACKERN OBERTI, J. P.; ROSALES, J. A.; GÓMEZ, S; CUELLO CARRION D.; VALDÉZ, S. R.; BREGONZIO, C.; SOAJE, M.; MONCLUS, M. A.

San Luis

Congreso; XLII Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2024

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Lasting effects of prenatal exposure to amphetamine (PEA) was observed in adult rat. Damphetamine (AMPH) is a stimulant of CNS that increases the availability of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) in the synaptic cleft. Both monoamines are involved in the regulation of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons during development, and the intake of AMPH derivatives in adulthood alters the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In previous work, we demonstrated low sperm count and serum testosterone levels in PEA adult male rats. These changes were accompanied by a decrease in the height and perimeter of seminiferous epithelium. The aim of the present study was to further investigate the effects of prenatal AMPH exposure in adult male rats by evaluating androgen receptor (AR) levels in the testis by immunohistochemistry and hypothalamic GnRH expression by qPCR. Female rats were treated daily with AMPH 2.5mg/kg i.p or saline (SAL) during days 15 to 21 of pregnancy. On days post-natal 75-90, adult PEA and SAL treated male rats, were sacrificed by decapitation and the hypothalamus, testis and epididymis were surgically removed. Blood samples were collected for testosterone determination by chemiluminescence method. Testis were fixed for the immunohistochemical analysis and the epididymis were sectioned and incubated in PBS at 37°C for sperm release and subsequent counting. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Student´s-t test. Serum testosterone levels were significantly reduced in PEA rats (p