Maternal cafeteria diet adversely affects the reproductive parameters of rat offspring in a sex-specific manner

Background
An unhealthy diet contributes significantly to the development of the global obesity epidemic and serves as a risk factor for fertility disorders. Moreover, maternal obesity leads to alterations in the reproductive capacity of the offspring via prenatal and postnatal programming.
Methods
To replicate the impact of a diet rich in sugar and fat, which contributes to human obesity, we utilized a cafeteria (CAF) diet in rat mothers to investigate molecular and morphological consequences in the gonads of male and female progeny. Rat mothers were fed either standard (control) or CAF diet before and during pregnancy and lactation. Female and male offspring were sacrificed after weaning at different stages of reproductive maturation—females on postnatal days (PNDs) 30, 35, and 60, and males on PNDs 40 and 60. Ovaries and testis were examined for the expression of the kisspeptin system, including Kiss1, Kiss1r, estrogen (Esr1, Esr2), androgen (Ar), and luteinizing hormone choriogonadotropin (Lhcgr) receptors. Additionally, morphological parameters of the ovaries and testes were evaluated.
Results
Male offspring of CAF mothers showed: i) alterations in Ar and Kiss1 mRNA levels, and ii) decreased seminiferous tubules diameter and epithelium height, a reduced number of Sertoli cells, a lower percentage of seminiferous tubules with presented spermatozoa. Female offspring of CAF mothers exhibited: i) disturbed expression of Esr1, Esr2, Ar, and Lhcgr receptors in the ovaries, and ii) a diminished number of primordial and secondary follicles at PND 30 and primary follicles at PND 35.
Conclusions
We concluded that the maternal CAF diet leads to sex-specific alterations in the reproductive parameters of offspring.