Obesity induced by cafeteria diet disrupts fertility in the rat by affecting multiple ovarian targets.

Abstract

Obesity constitutes a health problem of increasing worldwide prevalence. Among the health detriments caused by obesity, reproduction is disrupted. However, the mechanisms involved in this disruption are not fully understood. Animals fed a cafeteria diet constitute the model for the study of obesity that most closely reflects Western diet habits. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether a cafeteria diet affects ovarian function and to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms involved. For that purpose, 22-day-old female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with a standard diet (control group; n = 20) or cafeteria diet (CAF group; n = 20). The cafeteria diet induced obesity and hyperglycaemia, without altering serum triglycerides, cholesterol or C-reactive protein concentrations. This diet also altered ovarian function: the rats showed prolonged dioestrous phases, decreased serum oestradiol concentrations and increased number of antral atretic follicles. Moreover, follicular cysts were detected in the CAF group, concomitantly with a decrease in the number of anti-Müllerian hormone immunoreactive pre-antral follicles and COX-2-positive antral and pre-ovulatory follicles. The authors conclude that a cafeteria diet reduces ovarian reserve, induces the presence of follicular cysts and disturbs the ovulatory process, leading to the delayed pregnancy observed in these animals.

• Authors: M V Bazzano, C Torelli, M C Pustovrh, D A Paz, E M Elia
• Journal: Reproductive biomedicine online (Reprod Biomed Online) Vol. 31 Issue 5 Pg. 655-67 (Nov 2015) ISSN: 1472-6491 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 26380868 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Triglycerides
• Anti-Mullerian Hormone
• Cholesterol
• Cyclooxygenase 2

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Mullerian Hormone (metabolism)
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Cyclooxygenase 2 (metabolism)
• Diet, Western (adverse effects)
• Female
• Hyperglycemia (complications, metabolism)
• Infertility, Female (etiology, metabolism)
• Obesity (complications, metabolism)
• Ovary (metabolism)
• Pregnancy
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Triglycerides (blood)