A influência da dieta hiperlipídica pré-natal e/ou pós-natal na morfologia da próstata, dos testículos e nos parâmetros espermáticos de ratos Wistar adultos

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the prenatal and/or postnatal high-fat diet on the metabolic parameters, ventral prostate morphology, morphology and testicular function of 4-month-old Wistar rats. Twenty female were fed a control diet (C) or high-fat diet (HF), during gestation and lactation. After weaning, male pups were divided into 4 experimental groups: C/C (n=8), C/HF (n=8), HF/C (n=9) and HF/HF (n=8), the first letter/initials indicates the maternal diet and the second letter/initials indicates the offspring diet. The biometric parameters, lipid metabolism, glycemic profile, testosterone levels, the gonadosomatic index, genital fat deposits, sperm parameters, testes and ventral prostate were evaluated. The biometric parameters and measurements of gonads were similar among the groups. The prenatal high-fat diet increased triacylglycerol levels and the postnatal high-fat diet decreased HDL-c levels (P=0.0005 and P=0.0100, respectively). The HF diet, regardless of its administration period, induced a hyperglycemia (P=0.0064). The sperm concentration was lower in the HF/HF group than in the HF/C (P=0.0072) and sperm viability was lower in all groups receiving a high-fat diet compared to the C/C group (P<0.0001). The tubular compartment was smaller in the HF/HF group (P<0.0001) and the seminiferous tubule diameter was higher in the HF/C group (P<0.0001), compared to the other groups. The seminiferous epithelium height was lower in all groups than that in the C/C (P<0.0001). Serum testosterone levels and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) expression were lower in the C/HF group compared to the C/C (P=0.0218 and P=0.0215, respectively). The acinar area was reduced in all groups that received the high-fat diet compared to the C/C group (P<0.0001). The epithelium height of prostate was lower in the HF/C and HF/HF groups compared to the C/C and C/HF groups (P<0.0001) and the epithelium area density was lower in the HF/C group than in the C/C and C/HF groups (P=0.0024). The connective tissue area density was lower in the HF/C and HF/HF groups (P<0.0001) and the smooth muscle cells area density was lower in the C/HF and HF/C groups (P=0.0013), compared to the C/C group. It was concluded that the prenatal and/or postnatal high-fat diet caused few metabolic changes, however reduced prostate, altered testicular morphology and sperm parameters. These data suggest that the metabolic programming by high-fat diet compromised the secretory activity and contractility of the prostate and caused disturbances in spermatogenesis.