WALKING RESTORES THE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION OF FEMALE RATS FROM REDUCED LITTERS, A CLASSICAL MODEL OF OBESITY

Keywords: Exercise, Obesity, Reproduction

Abstract

As physical activity is a significant aid against obesity and its complications, this work was planned to assess the consequences of litter size reduction, a classical model of obesity, and treadmill walking on the reproductive function of adult female rats. Female rats were raised in reduced (three puppies, NR) or conventional (nine puppies, NC) litters during lactation, with free supply of chow after weaning. Some of the rats of each group were not exercised (sedentary, S) while some were subjected to treadmill walking (exercised, E). Litter size reduction increased biometric parameters (body weight, Lee index, weight/length ratio and adiposity) significantly (p<0.05, twoway ANOVA). Only one regular estrous cycle, a high number of cystic follicles (28) and irregular ovarian morphology were recorded in the sedentary rats (NR-S). These rats, when mated, did not procreate. Treadmill walking had a significant effect on most of the biometric parameters (p<0.05, two-way ANOVA). The exercised female rats (NR-E) had reproductive function similar to those of the NC groups: 14 regular estrous cycles, 16 puppies, and 16 cystic follicles. In the reduced-litter female rats, walking since early life preserved estrous rhythmicity and fertility, which were impaired in the sedentary reduced-litter females.

Author Biographies

Elizete Rosa dos Santos, UEM
técnica do laboratório de fisiologia do Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas. Especialista em Fisiologia Humana pela UEM
Glaucia Midori Sakakima
Especialista em Fisiologia Humana pela UEM
Maria Montserrat Diaz Pedrosa, UEM
graduaçao, mestrado e doutorado em Ciências Biológicas - biologia celular; docente do departamento de ciências fisiológicas da UEM
Published
2014-12-17
Section
Artigos Originais