Hipotireoidismo materno e os efeitos renais para a prole jovem e adulta de ratas wistar

Abstract

When the intrauterine environment is disturbed by factors such as smoking, stress, neurological disorders, infections, endocrine diseases, among others, the offspring may have its development compromised and present diseases in adulthood. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate renal changes in young and adult offspring from Wistar rats exposed to hypothyroidism only during pregnancy or during pregnancy and lactation. For this, the 30 and 90 days-old (D) female pups were divided into 3 groups: Controls (CONTROL - C) - pups from mothers exposed to euthyroidism during pregnancy and lactation, Gestation Gruop (EXPERIMENTAL 1 – E1) – pups from mothers exposed to gestational hypothyroidism and Pregnancy/Lactation Gruop (EXPERIMENTAL 2 – E2) – pups from mothers exposed to gestational and lactational hypothyroidism. Maternal parameters such as food and water intake, body weight variation and T3 and T4 measurements and parameters in the offspring such as T3 and T4 plasmatic levels, tests of renal function and injury and kidney removal for morphometric and immunohistochemical studies were evaluated. There were no differences between groups for maternal parameters such as water and food consumption and weight gain during pregnancy, but mothers from E2 had lower T3 and T4 levels, compared to C and E1 groups. The 30D pups from the experimental groups had lower body weight, while only the E2 pups had lower relative renal weight. Data such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure and heart rate were not different between groups, but renal function and loss of urinary proteins were lower in E2, compared to controls. The 30D experimental animals had smaller renal corpuscle and glomerular tuft areas, but the latter was only maintained in the 90D animals from E2, as well as an increase in capsular space. The number of proliferating cells was higher in the tubulointerstitial compartment (TBI) of the 30D experimental animals, as well as an increase in the expression of TBI alpha actin, but only in E2. T3 levels were only reduced in 90D animals from E2, while the T4 levels were not different. Maternal hypothyroidism is capable of programming important renal structural changes in the young offspring from Wistar rats, which can result in loss of renal function in adulthood. These changes are more evident when maternal hypothyroidism is maintained until the breastfeeding period.