Effects of maternal preconception high-fat diet on the fertility of dams and on the somatic parameters and reflex ontogeny of their male offspring

Abstract

Background: Female consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) may cause fertility issues and affects offspring development.

Objective: Evaluate the acute maternal preconception intake of a HFD on the fertility and reproduction parameters of breeding females; and on the somatic parameters and reflex ontogeny of male offspring.

Methods: Twenty-four rats were randomized into control (PC; n=12) and high-fat diet group (PHF; n=12) that consumed their respective diets during the 23-day preconception period. After that, 6 rats per group underwent oral glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests and were euthanized. The remaining rats were mated, during gestation and lactation, both groups ate a control diet. After birth, the male offspring's somatic parameters and reflexes were assessed.

Results: The preconception diet caused dyslipidemia in the PHF. The PHF uterus exhibited a higher SFA (50.74 ± 0.32 %), a lower PUFA concentration (35.59 ± 0.33 %), and an increase in arachidonic acid (2.48 ± 0.03 %). PHF rats had hypertrophy in the endometrium, and ovaries with a higher quantity of corpora albicans and immature primordial follicles. The offspring of PHF rats had greater weight (6.70 ± 0.82 g), nasal-anal length (4.93± 0.27 cm), and tail length (1.74 ± 0.12 cm) on the first day of life, and had improved righting reflex, but delayed negative geotaxis reflex.

Conclusions: An acute maternal preconception HFD induced a pro-inflammatory fatty acid profile and changed structure in uterus, altered ovarian follicle profile. Also, potential interference in the size of the pups at birth and in brain development of male offspring.

Keywords: Fatty acids; High-fat diet; Infertility; Offspring; Reproduction.