Diet-induced maternal obesity alters ovarian morphology and gene expression in the adult mouse offspring

Objective: To examine the effects of high-fat (HF) diet-induced maternal obesity on follicular population and gene expression in adult offspring ovaries. Design: Experimental mouse study. Setting: Laboratory. Animal(s): Mice on HF diet. Intervention(s): Female C57BL/6J mice were fed an HF or standard chow (C) diet 6 weeks before conception, through pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were fed the C or HF diet from weaning, creating the HF/HF, HF/C, C/HF, C/C offspring groups. Main Outcome Measure(s): Follicular counts and gene expression in adult offspring ovaries. Result(s): Prenatal exposure to maternal HF nutrition resulted in the reduction of primordial, antral, and Graafian follicle numbers in offspring ovaries (both HF/C and HF/HF). Expression levels of genes involved in apoptosis (FoXO3 alpha), follicular growth and development (Gdf9), and circadian rhythms generation (Clock and Bmal1) were elevated in the ovaries of HF/C and HF/HF offspring, while expression of the circadian clock genes Cry1 and Per1 were lower in HF/HF ovaries. Conclusion(s): Maternal obesity during pregnancy has long-term deleterious consequences on follicular growth and development in the adult offspring ovaries, which may impact their reproductive potential. (C) 2014 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.