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Testis Structure and Function in a Nongenetic Hyperadipose Rat Model at Prepubertal and Adult Ages

Department of Morphology (L.R.F., J.R.M.), Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences/Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG 31270-901, Brazil; Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (M.O.S.) and Neuroendocrine Unit (A.G., M.P., E.S.), Instituto Multidiscipliario de Biologia Celular, and School of Exact Sciences (M.O.S., A.G., R.S.C.), Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata 1900, Argentina; and Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental (R.S.C.), Buenos Aires 1428, Argentina

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Luiz Renato de França, Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences/Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil. E-mail: lrfranca{at}icb.ufmg.br.

There are few data for hormonal levels and testis structure and function during postnatal development in rats neonatally treated with monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). In our study, newborn male pups were ip injected with MSG (4 mg/g body weight) every 2 d up to 10 d of age and investigated at prepubertal and adult ages. Plasma levels of leptin, LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone (T), corticosterone, and free T₄ (FT₄) were measured. MSG rats displayed elevated circulating levels of corticosterone and hyperadiposity/hyperleptinemia, regardless of the age examined; conversely, circulating prolactin levels were not affected. Moreover, prepubertal MSG rats revealed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in testis weight and the number of Sertoli (SC) and Leydig cells per testis. Leptin plasma levels were severalfold higher (2.41 vs. 8.07; P < 0.05) in prepubertal MSG rats, and these animals displayed plasma LH, FSH, T, and FT₄ levels significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that testis development, as well as SC and Leydig cell proliferation, were disturbed in prepubertal MSG rats. Adult MSG rats also displayed significantly higher leptin plasma levels (7.26 vs. 27.04; P < 0.05) and lower (P < 0.05) LH and FSH plasma levels. However, T and FT₄ plasma levels were normal, and no apparent alterations were observed in testis structure of MSG rats. Only the number of SCs per testis was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the adult MSG rats. In conclusion, although early installed hyperadipose/hyperleptinemia phenotype was probably responsible for the reproductive axis damages in MSG animals, it remains to be investigated whether this condition is the main factor for hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis dysfunction in MSG rats.

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