Paloma Collado
National Distance Education University (UNED), Spain
Title: Does estradiol have a role during development in the alterations? Produced by under- or over-nutrition in male and female rats?
Biography
Biography: Paloma Collado
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Adequate nutrition during the early stages of life is crucial for proper development of the neurohormonal systems that control food intake. Numerous investigations have shown that both under- and over-nutrition produce alterations in the functioning of the systems that regulate energy metabolism, and some of these alterations have been shown to be different in male and female rats. In the past decade it has been shown that leptin acts as a trophic factor during development in the programming of hypothalamic circuits that control energy metabolism. Our hypothesis is that estradiol, which shares with leptin the pathway to regulate food intake, could modulate the alterations produced by under- or over-nutrition during the early postnatal stage. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Male and female Wistar rats were submitted to a high fat (HFD) (34.9% fat), low protein (LP) (8%) or a control diet from gestational day 6. From postnatal (P) 6 to P13, both control and HFD/LP groups were administered a s.c. injection of vehicle or estradiol benzoate (0.4 mg/kg). Body weight, food intake and subcutaneous, visceral, and brown fat pads were measured. Hypothalamic neuropeptide content was analyzed by RT-PCR and plasma estradiol levels were measured by ELISA. Findings: Changes in several physiological and neuroendocrinological parameters due to malnutrition and overnutrition were differentially detected in male and female rats, with more significant physiological changes found in males and neuroendocrinological changes found in females. Conclusion & Significance: Our results confirm that estradiol during development modulates the alterations produced by malnutrition and might suggest a possible role of estradiol in the programming of the circuits that regulate energy metabolism. In addition, they confirm the importance f studying males and females in order to disentangle the mechanisms underlying food intake to prevent the onset of feeding disorders.