Reproductive aspects in female rats exposed prenatally to hydrocortisone

We investigated the effects of hydrocortisone during the prenatal period and its later repercussion on reproductive aspects of female rats. Pregnant rats were treated (s.c.) with hydrocortisone acetate, at 1.5 mg/day on the 17th, 18th, and 19th days of pregnancy. Although the present study was not intended to identify mechanisms of toxicity, the treatment with hydrocortisone in the last period of pregnancy presented no signs of toxicity. The efficacy of the hydrocortisone in reducing the adrenal wet mass and plasma corticosterone levels immediately after delivery in both the treated mothers and in respective pups at birth may indicate impairment of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. In addition, the treatment with hydrocortisone did not interfere in the development of the female descendants until puberty. However, it affected the estrous cycle and fertility, Probably, the prenatal exposure to corticosteroids had altered at least partially the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in the damages observed in adult life. These results indicate that the use of the hydrocortisone at a dose that apparently does not endanger the neonate led to undesirable effects in the adult reproductive phase, resulting in later deleterious alteration of the reproductive physiology in female rats. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developmental lead exposure in rats: is a behavioral sequel extended at F2 generation?

Lead toxicity was studied in rats exposed from conception until weaning and assessed by monitoring offspring behavior in both the open field and elevated plus maze and by determining tissue lead in an assessment schedule extended to first (F1) and second (F2) generations. Dams utilized for the F1 generation were submitted to 750 ppm of lead (acetate) in drinking water during pregnancy and lactation. For F1 pups, behavioral alterations were not detected in the elevated plus maze, while in the open field, spontaneous locomotor activity as well as time of both grooming and rearing increased, while freezing time decreased in 30- and 90-day-old rats. Lead content was higher in tissues of 1- and 30-day-old pups. However, in 90-day-old rats, lead was detected only in the femur. F2 generation was lead-free but still presented alterations in both locomotor activity and grooming in 30- and 90-day-old pups. It appears that developmental lead exposure may cause behavioral effects during the developmental stage of the F1 generation, which remains throughout the animal's adult life as a sequel, regardless of lead accumulation, and is extended to the F2 generation of rats. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annexin-A1 gene expression during liver development and post-translation modification after experimental endotoxemia

Objective and design: We have previously reported a role for annexin-A1 in liver proliferation and tumorogenicity as well as its action as an acute phase protein in a model of endotoxemia in interleukin-6 null mice.Material and methods: In this study, we have investigated the analysis of the gene and protein expression in annexin-A1 null mice and the wild type livers during foetal and adult life, and in the presence of a proinflammatory stimulus.Results: The data indicate a link between the expression of the annexin-A1 as serine-phosphorylated-protein during early events of the inflammatory response and as tyrosine-phosphorylated-form at later time-points, during the resolution of inflammation.Conclusions: The study of annexin-A1 post-translation modification may promote a new annexin-A1 peptide discovery programme to treat specific pathologies.

Protein deficiency and nutritional recovery modulate insulin secretion and the early steps of insulin action in rats

Maternal malnutrition was shown to affect early growth and leads to permanent alterations in insulin secretion and sensitivity of offspring. In addition, epidemiological studies showed an association between low birth weight and glucose intolerance in adult life. To understand these interactions better, we investigated the insulin secretion by isolated islets and the early events related to insulin action in the hind-limb muscle of adult rats fed a diet of 17% protein (control) or 6% protein [low (LP) protein] during fetal life, suckling and after weaning, and in rats receiving 6% protein during fetal life and suckling followed by a 17% protein diet after weaning (recovered). The basal and maximal insulin secretion by islets from rats fed LP diet and the basal release by islets from recovered rats were significantly lower than that of control rats. The dose-response curves to glucose of islets from LP and recovered groups were shifted to the right compared to control islets, with the half-maximal response (EC 50) occurring at 16.9 ± 1.3, 12.4 ± 0.5 and 8.4 ± 0.1 mmol/L, respectively. The levels of insulin receptor, as well as insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphorylation and the association between insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase were greater in rats fed a LP diet than in control rats. In recovered rats, these variables were not significantly different from those of the other two groups. These results suggest that glucose homeostasis is maintained in LP and recovered rats by an increased sensitivity to insulin as a result of alterations in the early steps of the insulin signal transduction pathway.

Reproductive changes in male rats treated perinatally with an aromatase inhibitor.

The effects of maternal exposure to aromatase inhibitor during the perinatal period of sexual brain differentiation were studied. The fertility was assessed in adult, male rat offspring of aromatase inhibitor-treated dams. The following results were obtained: (1) Sexual maturation, body weight, and wet weights of testis, pituitary, seminal vesicle, ventral prostate, and levatori ani muscle were unchanged at adult life. (2) Fifty percent of the animals were able to mate with normal females, which became pregnant but exhibited an increased number of preimplantation loss. (3) There was a decrease in the number of spermatozoa found in the testes and in the daily sperm production. (4) Of those, 25% of the male rats treated with aromatase inhibitor did not present male sexual behavior, showing female behavior when pretreated with estrogen. These results indicate that perinatal exposure to aromatase inhibitor during the critical period of male brain sexual differentiation has a long-term effect on the reproductive physiology and behavior of male rats.

Changes in amounts of total salivary gland proteins of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae) according to age and diet

Saliva plays important roles in facilitation of a bloodmeal, lubrication of mouthparts, and parasite transmission for some vector insects. Salivary composition changes during the lifetime of an insect, and differences in the salivary profile may influence its functions. In this report, the amount and profile of salivary gland protein of the American visceral leishmaniasis vector Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) were analyzed at different times of insect development and diet. Protein content from unfed female sand flies increased significantly with age, and a significant difference was observed in sugar-fed females during the first 10 d of adult life. Salivary protein content sharply decreased 1 d after blood feeding, with gradual increase in concentration the following days. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that most polypeptides present in the saliva of sugar-fed also were present in the saliva of blood-fed females. Understanding changes in sand fly's saliva contents at distinct days after emergence and the influence of a bloodmeal in this aspect may reveal the role played by saliva during leishmaniasis transmission. © 2008 Entomological Society of America.

Social Panorama of Latin America 2011

Includes bibliography

Influence of δβ-thalassemia or regulatory elements in individuals with increased fetal Hb levels in the São Paulo northwest population

Fetal hemoglobin (Hb F), formed by two alpha globin chains (α) and two gamma chains (γ) (α2 γ2), has reduced expression in adults, ranging from 0 to 1% of total hemoglobin. Increased levels of Hb F are due to mutations in the β-globin family, which cause hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) and delta-beta thalassemia (δβ-thalassemia).The control of the production takes place by the regulatory region and regions outside the β-globin family, among them 2q16, 6q23, 8q, and Xp22.2.The aims of this study were to determine the presence and frequency of two mutations for δβ-thalassemia, the XmnI polymorphism and β-globin haplotypes in healthy individuals with increased Hb F in the State of São Paulo. We analyzed 60 samples of peripheral blood of healthy adults, without complaints of anemia. The samples were separated into two groups according to Hb F level: group I - 34 samples with Hb F ranging from 2 to 15% and group II - 26 samples with Hb F over 15%. In relation to the polymorphisms examined, we found three heterozygous individuals (5%) for Spanish δβ-thalassemia, belonging to group I, whose Hb F levels were within the normal range.The Sicilian δβ-thalassemia mutation was not found, indicating the need to study other polymorphisms related to the increase of Hb F in adult life.The frequency of XmnI polymorphism was 33.3% and the mean Hb F levels were 15.48 ± 11.69%.The frequency observed in our study for this polymorphic site is higher than that found in the literature for healthy subjects.This polymorphism was more prevalent in individuals with Hb F levels below 15%. For four samples positive for this polymorphism, the Hb F levels were explained by the presence of HPFH and Spanish δβ-thalassemia mutations, so that the presence of the XmnI polymorphic site was not a determinant in the overexpression of γ-globin genes. Regarding β-globin haplotypes, 18 alleles and 27 distinct genotypic patterns were found.The pattern Atp1/Atp2 was the mostfrequent genotype (13.72%).Of the 18 alleles, 13 showed atypical patterns.The results show that the haplotype V was the most frequent (27.45%), followed by atypical Atp2 (13.72%) and Atp1 (11.76%), and that there was a higher correlation with the presence of HPFH and XmnI polymorphism.The high frequency of haplotype V in our samples and high frequency of atypical haplotypes may reflect a high rate of miscegenation in this population, suggesting an ethnic characteristic for the Brazilian population, requiring the evaluation of population genetic markers to corroborate this hypothesis. © FUNPEC-RP.

Implications of intrauterine protein malnutrition on prostate growth, maturation and aging

Aims Maternal malnutrition by low protein diet is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic disorders and decreased male fertility in adult life. This study aimed to assess the impact of maternal protein malnutrition (MPM) on prostate growth, tissue organization and lesion incidence with aging. Main methods Wistar rat dams were distributed into two groups, which were control (NP; fed a normal diet containing 17% protein) or a restricted protein diet (RP, fed a diet containing 6% protein) during gestation. After delivery all mothers and offspring received a normal diet. Biometrical parameters, hormonal levels and prostates were harvested at post-natal days (PND) 30, 120 and 360. Key findings MPM promoted low birth weight, decreased ano-genital distance (AGD) and reduced androgen plasma levels of male pups. Prostatic lobes from RP groups presented reduced glandular weight, epithelial cell height and alveolar diameter. The epithelial cell proliferation and collagen deposition were increased in RP group. Incidences of epithelial dysplasia and prostatitis were higher in the RP offspring than in the NP offspring at PND360. Significance Our findings show that MPM delays prostate development, growth and maturation until adulthood, probably as a result of low testosterone stimuli. The higher incidence of cellular dysplasia and prostatitis suggests that MPM increases prostate susceptibility to diseases with aging. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Efeitos da separação materna e do alcoolismo sobre a vesícula seminal e a galândula de coagulação de ratos UCh (bebedores voluntários de etanol a 10%)

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Estado nutricional de escolares de sete a nove anos de idade da rede municipal de ensino de Mogi Guaçu, São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

Perfil de expressão dos mIRNAS da família mIR-200 e mIR-192 no rim total e glomérulos isolados de ratos submetidos à restrição protéica in útero

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influência da δβ-Talassemia ou de elementos de regulação em indivíduos com hemoglobina fetal aumentada na população da região Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Genética - IBILCE

Evolução da obesidade da infância até a vida adulta entre mulheres da fila de espera para a cirurgia bariátrica pelo sistema único de saúde

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estudo da atividade salivar em ratos espontaneamente hipertensos (SHR)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)