de Souza CF, Stopa LRS, Martins AB, Wunderlich ALM, Lopes GM, Zaia DAM, Zaia CTBV, de Andrade FG, Leite CM, Uchoa ET. Lactation overnutrition-induced obesity impairs effects of exogenous corticosterone on energy homeostasis and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in male rats.
Life Sci 2022;
304:120721. [PMID:
35716735 DOI:
10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120721]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
AIMS
Litter size reduction on the first days of life results in increased body weight and adiposity, with higher levels of circulating glucocorticoids. Obese rodents are more sensitive to the anabolic effects of glucocorticoids and less responsive to glucocorticoids feedback on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This study aimed to evaluate effects of the treatment with corticosterone on metabolic responses and HPA axis in adult male rats reared in small litters.
MAIN METHODS
From postnatal day (PND) 60 to 88, adult male rats of normal (NL- 10 pups/dam) and small (SL- 3 pups/dam) litters received oral treatment with Corticosterone (CORT-15 mg/L) in the drinking water or no treatment, composing the four experimental groups (NL-water; NL-CORT; SL-water and SL-CORT), for the evaluation of energy homeostasis and HPA axis.
KEY FINDINGS
Male rats of SL-water group presented on PND88: glucose intolerance, higher adiposity, plasma triglycerides, free fatty acids, total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and corticosterone. SL-water animals showed increased mRNA of corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary, with decreased mRNA expression of PVN mineralocorticoid receptor. NL-CORT animals presented glucose intolerance, increased body weight, food intake, total and LDL cholesterol. Glucocorticoid treatment reduced corticosterone levels and adrenal cortex thickness in NL group, associated with increased mRNA of PVN CRH and pituitary POMC, without effects on SL animals.
SIGNIFICANCE
Lactation overnutrition promotes hyperreactivity of HPA axis and reduces the responsiveness to glucocorticoids effects on energy balance and negative feedback of HPA axis in adult male rats.
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