Maternal stress in sheep during late pregnancy influences sperm quality in early puberty of the offspring

• Published in: Theriogenology Vol. 145; pp. 158 - 166
• Main Authors: Henrique, Fábio Luís, Bezerra, Helena Viel Alves, Polato, Heloise Zavatieri, Fernandes, Arícia Christofaro, Zanella, Adroaldo José, Alves, Maíra Bianchi Rodrigues, Celeghini, Eneiva Carla Carvalho, Batissaco, Leonardo, Strefezzi, Ricardo de Francisco, Pulido-Rodríguez, Lina Fernanda, Hooper, Henrique Barbosa, Titto, Cristiane Gonçalves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15-03-2020
• Subjects: Animals; Developmental programming; Female; Lipopolysaccharide; Male; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Ram; Sexual Maturation; Sheep - physiology; Spermatozoa - physiology; Stress, Physiological; Testicular development; Ultrasound; Lipopolysaccharide; Developmental programming; Testicular development; Ultrasound; Ram
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.10.008

Stress at the end of sheep gestation can damage the reproductive development of young males. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of LPS administration in the last third of sheep pregnancy on the reproductive parameters of prepubertal rams. Thirty-six pregnant nulliparous ewes (12 ± 2 months old; 45 ± 6 kg) were assigned to two treatments, LPS (E. coli; 0.8 μg kg−1) and control (placebo/saline) administered in late pregnancy (120 days post-conception). The animals gave birth to 17 male lambs (11 LPS; 8 control). Reproductive development of the young rams was analyzed from 5 to 12 months of age. A completely randomized design in double factorial scheme was used. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance. The model included treatment (LPS; control), age as main effects and their interactions, and the animal as a repeated measure. Means were compared by the PDIFF-SAS (Pr > |t|) at P < 0.05. An effect of age was observed for scrotal circumference, testicular consistency, homogeneity of testicular parenchyma, vascularization, semen quantity and quality, and blood testosterone concentration (P < 0.05). LPS increased sperm defects (P < 0.05) but an interaction with age was not observed (P > 0.05) with higher abnormalities only during months 8 and 9 (P < 0.05) and not thereafter. In summary, LPS did not cause long-term damage to testicular morphology analyzed from the onset of puberty to sexual maturity. However, LPS treatment affected sperm morphology during early puberty of the offspring.
•LPS treatment in the last third of sheep pregnancy affects sperm morphology of prepubertal offspring.•B-mode, color Doppler and spectral analyses of ultrasound are capable to evaluate puberty in rams.•LPS during late pregnancy does not cause long-term damage to testicular morphology.