Análise morfológica das gônadas de filhotes de ratas nascidos de matrizes induzidas ao diabetes gestacional e tratadas com melatonina

Abstract

Fetal complications of gestational diabetes may include macrosomia, hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress syndrome, polycythemia, cardiac overload, increased number of birth defects, spontaneous abortion, and intrauterine fetal death. The use of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants such as tocopherol and melatonin has been widely studied due to the fact that it is an effective treatment that helps in combating the various harms resulting from diabetes. Melatonin during pregnancy is known to contribute to hemodynamic regulation and aid in the development of offspring organs, such as the gonads, as well as to combat hepatic oxidative stress. Thus, the aim of this paper is to test the hypothesis that melatonin administered during pregnancy in rats may prevent the deleterious effects produced by gestational diabetes on the offspring's gonads. The gonads were analyzed histologically, morphometrically and immunohistochemically at 30 and 60 postnatal. Fifteen 90-day-old virgin albino rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus), weighing approximately close of 200g, from the Wistar strain, from the Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, were divided into three groups: I - Puppies (n = 12) born from non-diabetic mothers, kept in a 12/12 hour light / dark cycle; II - Puppies (n = 12) born from diabetes-induced mothers during pregnancy, kept in a 12/12 hour light / dark cycle and III - Puppies (n = 12) born from diabetes-induced mothers during pregnancy and treated simultaneously with melatonin, kept in light / dark cycle of 12/12. Gestational diabetes was induced after mating confirmation with intraperitoneal injections of 60 mg / kg streptozotocin. Melatonin was administered in daily injections of 0.8 mg / kg throughout pregnancy. The results revealed that gestational diabetes can interfere in the development of offspring gonads by altering their histology and morphometry, delaying their maturation. This effect could be reversed by melatonin.