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Maternal obesity and overnutrition increase oxidative stress in male rat offspring reproductive system and decrease fertility

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Abstract

Purpose:

Increasing evidence exists that maternal obesity (MO) and overnutrition during pregnancy and lactation have long-lasting consequences for progeny metabolism, cardiovascular and endocrine function. Data on effects of MO on offspring reproduction are limited. We hypothesized that MO during pregnancy and lactation in founder F0 rat mothers would increase testicular and sperm oxidative stress (OS) and adversely impact male fertility in their F1 offspring.

Methods:

We induced pre-pregnancy MO by feeding F0 females a high-fat diet from weaning through pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, all F1 rats ate control (C) diet. We determined serum testosterone, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in F1 testes and sperm at postnatal days (PNDs) 110, 450 and 650.

Results:

At PNDs 450 and 650, MO offspring had lower luteinizing hormone while testosterone levels were lower at all ages. Testicular MDA and ROS concentrations and SOD and GPx activity were higher in MO F1 at all ages. Nitrotyrosine immunostaining was higher at all ages in MO F1 testes than C F1. At PNDs 450 and 650, MO F1 spermatozoa showed higher MDA concentrations and lower SOD and GPx activity with reduced sperm concentration, viability and motility, and more sperm abnormalities. Fertility rate was not affected at PND 110 but was lower in MO F1 at PNDs 450 and 650.

Conclusions:

We conclude that MO during pregnancy and lactation increases F1 testicular and sperm OS leading to premature aging of reproductive capacity.

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Acknowledgements

GLR-G and LAR-Care graduate students from Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, CI is graduate student from Doctorado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and are recipients of Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y Tecnología (CONACyT) fellowship. This work was supported by CONACyT México 155166.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Biology Department, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico

    G L Rodríguez-González, C C Vega, L Boeck, M Vázquez, C J Bautista, L A Reyes-Castro, O Saldaña, D Lovera & E Zambrano

  2. Department of Obstetrics, Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    P W Nathanielsz

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  1. G L Rodríguez-González
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  2. C C Vega
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  3. L Boeck
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  4. M Vázquez
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  5. C J Bautista
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  6. L A Reyes-Castro
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  7. O Saldaña
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  8. D Lovera
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  9. P W Nathanielsz
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  10. E Zambrano
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Correspondence to E Zambrano.

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Rodríguez-González, G., Vega, C., Boeck, L. et al. Maternal obesity and overnutrition increase oxidative stress in male rat offspring reproductive system and decrease fertility. Int J Obes 39, 549–556 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.209

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.209

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