Plasma concentrations and placental immunostaining of interleukin-10 and tumornecrosis factor-α as predictors of alterations in the embryo-fetal organism and the placental development of diabetic rats

Supplementation of high doses of vitamin D during the gestational period do not cause reproductive, teratogenic and genotoxic damage in mice

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may have adverse effects on embryo-fetal and postnatal development. Indeed, vitamin D supplementation has been indicated for pregnant women. However, there are no studies that indicate the safe dose of this supplementation during the gestational period. Therefore, the present study assessed the effects of high doses of vitamin D and vitamin D combined with calcium on reproductive performance, embryo-fetal development, and DNA integrity in Swiss mice. A total of 140 pregnant female mice treated with vitamin D and vitamin D combined with calcium were analyzed in two experiments. In one experiment, mice received intramuscular supplementation at doses of 600,000, 6,000,000, or 60,000,000 IU of vitamin D. These same doses were also associated with the dose of 8.56 mg/kg of calcium. In the other experiment, mice received a single oral dose of 6,000, 60,000, or 600,000 IU of vitamin D. These same doses were also associated with the dose of 8.56 mg/kg of calcium. The treatments were always carried out in the 10th gestational day. The results show that neither intramuscularly nor orally administered vitamin D and vitamin D combined with calcium affected reproductive performance, embryo-fetal development, or DNA integrity at the different doses tested. These pioneering results confirm the safety of using this type of high doses of supplementation, including during pregnancy.

Reversal of diabetic-induced myopathy by swimming exercise in pregnant rats: a translational intervention study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) plus rectus abdominis muscle (RAM) myopathy predicts long-term urinary incontinence (UI). Atrophic and stiff RAM are characteristics of diabetes-induced myopathy (DiM) in pregnant rats. This study aimed to determine whether swimming exercise (SE) has a therapeutic effect in mild hyperglycemic pregnant rats model. We hypothesized that SE training might help to reverse RAM DiM. Mild hyperglycemic pregnant rats model was obtained by a unique subcutaneous injection of 100 mg/kg streptozotocin (diabetic group) or citrate buffer (non-diabetic group) on the first day of life in Wistar female newborns. At 90 days of life, the rats are mated and randomly allocated to remain sedentary or subjected to a SE protocol. The SE protocol started at gestational day 0 and consisted of 60 min/day for 6 days/week in a period of 20 days in a swim tunnel. On day 21, rats were sacrificed, and RAM was collected and studied by picrosirius red, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. The SE protocol increased the fiber area and diameter, and the slow-twitch and fast-twitch fiber area and diameter in the diabetic exercised group, a finding was also seen in control sedentary animals. There was a decreased type I collagen but not type III collagen area and showed a similar type I/type III ratio compared with the control sedentary group. In conclusion, SE during pregnancy reversed the RAM DiM in pregnant rats. These findings may be a potential protocol to consider in patients with RAM damage caused by GDM.

Congenital Anomalies Programmed by Maternal Diabetes and Obesity on Offspring of Rats

Embryo-fetal exposure to maternal disorders during intrauterine life programs long-term consequences for the health and illness of offspring. In this study, we evaluated whether mild diabetic rats that were given high-fat/high-sugar (HF/HS) diet presented maternal and fetal changes at term pregnancy. Female rats received citrate buffer (non-diabetic-ND) or streptozotocin (diabetic-D) after birth. According to the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), the experimental groups (n = 11 animals/group) were composed of non-diabetic and diabetic receiving standard diet (S) or HF/HS diet. High-fat/high-sugar diet (30% kcal of lard) in chow and water containing 5% sucrose and given 1 month before mating and during pregnancy. During and at the end of pregnancy, obesity and diabetes features were determined. After laparotomy, blood samples, periovarian fat, and uterine content were collected. The diabetic rats presented a higher glycemia and percentage of embryonic losses when compared with the NDS group. Rats DHF/HS presented increased obesogenic index, caloric intake, and periovarian fat weight and reduced gravid uterus weight in relation to the other groups. Besides, this association might lead to the inflammatory process, confirmed by leukocytosis. Obese rats (NDHF/HS and DHF/HS) showed higher triglyceride levels and their offspring with lower fetal weight and ossification sites, indicating intrauterine growth restriction. This finding may contribute to vascular alterations related to long-term hypertensive disorders in adult offspring. The fetuses from diabetic dams showed higher percentages of skeletal abnormalities, and DHF/HS dams still had a higher rate of anomalous fetuses. Thus, maternal diabetes and/or obesity induces maternal metabolic disorders that contribute to affect fetal development and growth.

Swimming Program on Mildly Diabetic Rats in Pregnancy

The present study aims to confirm if the moderate-intensity swimming has successful glycemic control and non-toxic oxidative stress levels and to verify the influence on pancreatic adaptations, embryo implantation, and placental efficiency. Female Wistar rats were randomly distributed to obtain mildly diabetic by streptozotocin induction at birth and the non-diabetic females given vehicle. At adulthood, pregnant rats were put at random into sedentary non-diabetic rats (ND); exercise non-diabetic rats (NDEx); sedentary diabetic rats (D); and exercise diabetic rats (DEx). The rats of the groups submitted to moderate intensity carried loads equivalent to 4% of body weight. On day 17 of gestational day, all rats were submitted to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Next day (GD18), the rats were anesthetized and killed to count implantation sites and to collect placentas, blood, and muscle samples for biochemical biomarkers and pancreas for immunohistochemical analysis. The moderate exercise used was not sufficient to stimulate the aerobic pathway but presented positive results on glucose metabolism, lower embryo postimplantation loss, and pancreatic morphology compared with the sedentary diabetic group. However, the DEx group showed muscular damage, decreased antioxidant defense, and lipid peroxidation. Thus, the moderate-intensity exercise reduces glycemic levels during OGTT and causes no damage to non-diabetic rats related to other analyzed parameters in this study. The exercised diabetic rats present better glycemic metabolism in OGTT, islet pancreatic morphology, and embryofetal development. However, it is necessary an adjustment in this exercise intensity to improve the effectiveness of aerobic training for reduction of maternal muscular and lipid membrane damages.

Understanding the hidden relations between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in bovine oviduct epithelium using a multilayer response surface method

An understanding gene-gene interaction helps users to design the next experiments efficiently and (if applicable) to make a better decision of drugs application based on the different biological conditions of the patients. This study aimed to identify changes in the hidden relationships between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in the bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOECs) under various experimental conditions using a multilayer response surface method. It was noted that under physiological conditions (BOECs with sperm or sex hormones, such as ovarian sex steroids and LH), the mRNA expressions of IL10, IL1B, TNFA, TLR4, and TNFA were associated with IL1B, TNFA, TLR4, IL4, and IL10, respectively. Under pathophysiological + physiological conditions (BOECs with lipopolysaccharide + hormones, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein + hormones, zearalenone + hormones, or urea + hormones), the relationship among genes was changed. For example, the expression of IL10 and TNFA was associated with (IL1B, TNFA, or IL4) and TLR4 expression, respectively. Furthermore, under physiological conditions, the co-expression of IL10 + TNFA, TLR4 + IL4, TNFA + IL4, TNFA + IL4, or IL10 + IL1B and under pathophysiological + physiological conditions, the co-expression of IL10 + IL4, IL4 + IL10, TNFA + IL10, TNFA + TLR4, or IL10 + IL1B were associated with IL1B, TNFA, TLR4, IL10, or IL4 expression, respectively. Collectively, the relationships between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes can be changed with respect to the presence/absence of toxins, sex hormones, sperm, and co-expression of other gene pairs in BOECs, suggesting that considerable cautions are needed in interpreting the results obtained from such narrowly focused in vitro studies.

Effects of short-term severe and long-term mild STZ-induced diabetes in urethral tissue of female rats

AIMS

To estimate and compare the alterations in the urethral tissues of female rats with two diabetes models: short-term severe and long-term mild diabetes.

METHODS

To induce mild diabetes (blood glucose levels between 120 and 300 mg/dl), female newborns received streptozotocin (100 mg/kg body weight, sc route), and to induce short-term severe diabetes (blood glucose levels > 300 mg/d), adult animals received streptozotocin (40 mg/kg, iv route). The rats were killed on day 133 of the experimental via an i.p. Thiopentax^® injection of 80 mg/kg, and the urethrovaginal tissues were harvested. Morphometric, pathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

In the long-term mild diabetes group, collagen deposition, severe fibrosis, lipid droplets and numerous subsarcolemmal, and intermyofibrillar mitochondria were observed. In the short-term severe diabetes group, centrally located myonuclei and a significantly reduced striated muscle area were noted. Both diabetic models exhibited similar immunohistochemistry patterns, with changes from fast to slow fibers and a decrease in the numbers of fast fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

Either long-term mild hyperglycemia or short-term severe hyperglycemia have detrimental impacts on muscle health. They are both involved in the failure to maintain healthy skeletal muscle that may contribute to the development of pelvic floor dysfunctions via different pathways. These results have important implications for monitoring and prevention strategies for improving the quality of life of women with diabetes mellitus and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:574-579, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tityus bahiensis scorpion venom injected to dams during pregnancy affects some cytokines of fetuses

Due to the high incidence of scorpion stings in Brazil, pregnant women are among the possible victims. Cytokines are important during the pregnancy, and scorpion venoms can change their release. We evaluated the levels of some cytokines in the fetuses after the treatment of pregnant rats with the Tityus bahiensis scorpion venom. The concentration of some of them is altered and can be responsible for the effects previously observed on innate reflexes, and the physical and behavioral development of the offspring.

Indomethacin reverses decreased hippocampal cell proliferation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Diabetes in humans and animals is accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation, which could be a possible mediator of developing neuropathology and neurobehavioral deficits. The objective of the present study determined if decreasing inflammation could reverse diabetes-induced decreases in hippocampal cell proliferation, one aspect of hippocampal neurogenesis. C57BL/6J mice were made diabetic by administering streptozotocin (STZ; 195 mg/kg). STZ mice or vehicle controls received chronic treatment with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (2 mg/kg for 14 days). Levels of glucose, corticosterone and cytokines were measured from plasma, cell proliferation was measured using BrdU incorporation in the hippocampus and TNF-αR1 and TNF-αR2 mRNA was measured using real-time PCR. STZ-induced diabetes increased plasma levels of glucose and corticosterone and decreased body weight. Cell proliferation in the hippocampus was reduced in diabetic mice by 50 %. The decreased level of cell proliferation was reversed by chronic treatment with indomethacin without changes to corticosterone and glucose levels. Plasma TNF-α levels increased in diabetic mice and were normalized by indomethacin treatment whereas IL-1 and IL-6 levels were unchanged by diabetes or indomethacin. In contrast, plasma levels of the cytokines IL-10 and IFN-gamma decreased in diabetic mice and were not affected by indomethacin treatment. STZ-induced diabetes decreased hippocampal expression of TNF-αR2 but not TNF-αR1 mRNA. Indomethacin ameliorated the effects of STZ on hippocampal neurogenesis independent of corticosterone and glycemic control, possibly by mediating the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. Inflammation is a potential novel pharmacological target for alleviating neurobehavioral complications arising from diabetes.

Short and long-term repercussions of the experimental diabetes in embryofetal development

BACKGROUND

Diabetic pregnancy have increased rates of congenital malformation and neonatal mortality. In vitro studies suggest hyperglycemia associated with diabetes impair embryogenesis but in vivo investigations on maternal hyperglycemic insult and early embryo development are scarce. We evaluated the embryofetal development on experimental diabetes models to assess whether hyperglycemia at preimplantation period impairs the progression of pregnancy.

METHODS

Different hyperglycemic intensities were obtained by two experimental diabetes models. Female Sprague Dawley rats received streptozotocin at birth (mild diabetes) or at day 90 of life (severe diabetes). For both diabetic groups hyperglycemia was confirmed 5 days after diabetes induction and the mating was performed around 100 day of life. For preimplantation analysis, embryos were recovered at D4 of pregnancy. Another group of animals was submitted to laparotomy at D21 to assess contents of the uterus and fetal viability.

RESULTS

Mild (i) and Severe (ii) diabetes modified the early development. Degenerating embryos percentage was higher compared to control (11%) (i) 30.7%, (ii) 37.3%. Cell number mean dropped according to hyperglycemic intensity (control 30.57, (i) 21.42, (ii) 13.42). Pre and post-implantation loss rates were higher in diabetic groups. The fetal viability also decreased from 96% in the control group to (i) 78.7% and (ii) 80.6%.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that during diabetic pregnancy, preimplantation embryos present decreased cell number due to higher apoptosis rates, which are dependent of the hyperglycemic intensity. Moreover, fetal viability was also decreased suggesting that the quality of these embryos at long-term may be questioned.

[Translational research in gestational diabetes mellitus and mild gestational hyperglycemia: current knowledge and our experience]

Maternal diabetes constitutes an unfavorable environment for fetal-placental and embryonic development. It is has important repercussion in modern obstetrics, since it is associated to an increased risk of neonatal and maternal morbidity, and it still is a significant medical challenge. The increased occurrence of diabetes worldwide, the increase in diabetes type 2 in women at reproductive age and the crossed generation of intrauterine programming for diabetes type 2 are the bases for the growing interest in utilization of diabetic experimental samples, with the aim to acquire knowledge about the mechanisms that induce development alterations in gestational diabetes. Several studies have shown the benefits of diabetes prevention, with interventions in lifestyle, metabolic improvement and control of cardiovascular risk factors to substantially prevent the complications of this devastating disease. Despite these findings, the recent revolution in the scientific knowledge, and the infinite number of new therapies for diabetes, there is still a large gap between what was learned through research and what is really done in public, clinical and community health. The negative economic impact of this complacency in people, families, and national economies is alarming. It is expected that translational research in the binomial diabetes and pregnancy are implemented in centers of excellence, in both basic and applied research, and complemented by multicenter clinical studies, conducted in a pragmatic way to increase the level of scientific evidence with more reliable diagnostic and propaedeutic resources.

Urethral striated muscle and extracellular matrix morphological characteristics among mildly diabetic pregnant rats: translational approach

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Diabetes mellitus (DM) during pregnancy is associated with high levels of urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction. Mild DM can lead to changes in urethral striated muscle and extracellular matrix (ECM) in pregnant rats considering both structures as an entire system responsible for urinary continence.

METHODS

Ninety-two female Wistar rats were distributed in four experimental groups: virgin, pregnant, diabetic, and diabetic pregnant. In adult life, parental nondiabetic female rats were mated with nondiabetic male rats to obtain newborns. At the first day of birth, newborns received citrate buffer (nondiabetic group) or streptozotocin 100 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneous route (mild DM group). At day 21 of the pregnancy, the rats were lethally anesthetized and the urethra and vagina were extracted as a unit. Urethral and vaginal sections were cut and analyzed by: (a) cytochemical staining for ECM and muscle structural components, (b) immunohistochemistry to identify fast- and slow-muscle fibers, and (c) transmission electron microscopy for ultrastructural analysis of urethral striated muscle.

RESULTS

In comparison with the three control groups, variations in the urethral striated muscle and ECM from diabetic pregnant rats were observed including thinning, atrophy, fibrosis, increased area of blood vessels, mitochondria accumulation, increased lipid droplets, glycogen granules associated with colocalization of fast and slow fibers, and a steady decrease in the proportion of fast to slow fibers.

CONCLUSIONS

Mild DM and pregnancy can lead to a time-dependent disorder and tissue remodeling in which the urethral striated muscle and ECM has a fundamental function.

Heat shock protein production and immunity and altered fetal development in diabetic pregnant rats

We evaluated associations between the concentrations of heat shock proteins (hsp60 and hsp70) and their respective antibodies, alterations in maternal reproductive performance, and fetal malformations in pregnant rats with hyperglycemia. Mild diabetes (MD) or severe diabetes (SD) was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats prior to mating; non-treated non-diabetic rats (ND) served as controls. On day 21 of pregnancy, maternal blood was analyzed for hsp60 and hsp70 and their antibodies; and fetuses were weighed and analyzed for congenital malformations. Hsp and anti-hsp levels were correlated with blood glucose levels during gestation. There was a positive correlation between hsp60 and hsp70 levels and the total number of malformations (R = 0.5908, P = 0.0024; R = 0.4877, P = 0.0134, respectively) and the number of malformations per fetus (R = 0.6103, P = 0.0015; R = 0.4875, P = 0.0134, respectively). The anti-hsp60 IgG concentration was correlated with the number of malformations per fetus (R = 0.3887, P = 0.0451) and the anti-hsp70 IgG level correlated with the total number of malformations (R = 0.3999, P = 0.0387). Moreover, both hsp and anti-hsp antibodies showed negative correlations with fetal weight. The results suggest that there is a relationship between hsp60 and hsp70 levels and their respective antibodies and alterations in maternal reproductive performance and impaired fetal development and growth in pregnancies associated with diabetes.

Treatment with Azadirachta indica in diabetic pregnant rats: negative effects on maternal outcome

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The role of Azadirachta indica (neem) against Chagas disease and its antibiotic and antidiabetic action have been demonstrated in non-pregnant animals. However, the effects of neem on lipid metabolism and oxidative stress during pregnancy remain to be investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Azadirachta indica (neem) on maternal reproductive performance and biochemical parameters in non-diabetic and streptozotocin-induced mild diabetic rats (MD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pregnant rats were randomly distributed into six experimental groups: ND=non-treated non-diabetic (n=13); NDOil=non-diabetic treated with 1.2 mL/day neem seed oil (n=12); NDPA=non-diabetic treated with 1.0mg/mL/day azadirachtin (n=12); D=non-treated diabetic (n=13); DOil: diabetic treated with neem seed oil (n=12), and DPA=diabetic treated with azadirachtin, n=13. Treatment with either neem oil (1.2 mL/day) or azadirachtin (1.0mg/mL/day) was orally administered throughout pregnancy. Glucose test tolerance (GTT) was performed at day 17 of pregnancy and used as an inclusion criterion. At term pregnancy, maternal reproductive outcomes, lipid profile and oxidative stress status were assessed.

RESULTS

Treatment with neem oil and azadirachtin during pregnancy (1) had no hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects on non-diabetic and diabetic rats, respectively; (2) affected OGTT glycemic levels in diabetic rats; (3) increased the proportion of fetuses classified as small for pregnancy age (SPA) in all groups; and (4) did not interfere with the lipid profile in non-diabetic dams. Neem oil reduced the rate of total cholesterol and NEFA in diabetic animals. Both neem oil and azadirachtin increased lipoperoxidation, characterized by increased MDA levels in non-diabetic rats.

CONCLUSION

Both neem seed oil and azadirachtin impaired intrauterine development and altered antioxidant/oxidative status during pregnancy.