Intergenerational Hyperglycemia Impairs Mitochondrial Function and Follicular Development and Causes Oxidative Stress in Rat Ovaries Independent of the Consumption of a High-Fat Diet

We analyzed the influence of maternal hyperglycemia and the post-weaning consumption of a high-fat diet on the mitochondrial function and ovarian development of the adult pups of diabetic rats. Female rats received citrate buffer (Control-C) or Streptozotocin (for diabetes induction-D) on postnatal day 5. These adult rats were mated to obtain female pups (O) from control dams (OC) or from diabetic dams (OD), and they received a standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD) from weaning to adulthood and were distributed into OC/SD, OC/HFD, OD/SD, and OD/HFD. In adulthood, the OGTT and AUC were performed. These rats were anesthetized and euthanized for sample collection. A high percentage of diabetic rats were found to be in the OD/HFD group (OD/HFD 40% vs. OC/SD 0% p < 0.05). Progesterone concentrations were lower in the experimental groups (OC/HFD 0.40 +/- 0.04; OD/SD 0.30 +/- 0.03; OD/HFD 0.24 +/- 0.04 vs. OC/SD 0.45 +/- 0.03 p < 0.0001). There was a lower expression of MFF (OD/SD 0.34 +/- 0.33; OD/HFD 0.29 +/- 0.2 vs. OC/SD 1.0 +/- 0.41 p = 0.0015) and MFN2 in the OD/SD and OD/HFD groups (OD/SD 0.41 +/- 0.21; OD/HFD 0.77 +/- 0.18 vs. OC/SD 1.0 +/- 0.45 p = 0.0037). The number of follicles was lower in the OD/SD and OD/HFD groups. A lower staining intensity for SOD and Catalase and higher staining intensity for MDA were found in ovarian cells in the OC/HFD, OD/SD, and OD/HFD groups. Fetal programming was responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction, ovarian reserve loss, and oxidative stress; the association of maternal diabetes with an HFD was responsible for the higher occurrence of diabetes in female adult pups.