Impact of high-fat diet consumption during prolonged period of pregnancy on placenta structures and umbilical vascular growth in goats

This study aimed to verify the impact of high-fat diet consumption for a prolonged period on oxidative stress, fetal growth, umbilical vascular system, and placental structures in pregnant goats. Twenty-two pregnant goats were grouped into the control diet (n= 11) and fat diet (n = 11). Flaxseed meal was added to the fat diet, replacing the corn grain of concentrate, from gestational day 100 to delivery date. Diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, differing in fat content (2.8% vs. 6.3% dry matter). The fat group showed higher feed intake and total plasma lipid levels than the control group (P < 0.001). No difference was found in placentome, and umbilical vascular development. Fat diet-fed goats exhibited a lower systolic peak in the umbilical artery. At delivery, placental traits were similar with the exception of the cotyledon width (P = 0.0075), which was smaller in the fat group and cotyledon surface (P = 0.0047) for multiple pregnancy of fat diet. Cotyledonary epithelium showed more intense staining of lipid droplets and a greater area for lipofuscin staining in the fat group compared to control group (P < 0.001). The mean live weight of the kids was lower in the fat group in the first week after delivery than in control group. Thus, in goats, the continuous administration of a high-fat diet during pregnancy does not appear to modify the fetal-maternal vascular structures but has an impact on a part of the placental structure; therefore, its use must be carefully evaluated.(AU)

Glycerin supplementation strategies for three or seven days affects oxidative stress, follicle dynamics and ovulatory response in Morada Nova sheep

The Ziwuling black goat is an indigenously in China, their offspring are frequently affected by congenital cryptorchidism. The extracellular matrix (ECM) contains cytokines and growth factors that regulate the development of the testis, and component changes often result in pathological changes. Cryptorchidism is closely related to structural changes in ECM. In this study, the histochemical staining, immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence and Western blot combined with semi-quantitative analysis was used to describe the distribution of the important ECM components Collagen type IV (Col IV), laminin (LN)and heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) in the normal and cryptorchid testes of Ziwuling black goats. Results showed that: The histochemical staining showed that the dysplasia of seminiferous tubules and decreased number of Sertoli cells in cryptorchidism, as well as sparse collagen fiber. Meanwhile, the distribution of reticular fibers is relatively rich. Furthermore, the PAS and AB staining in the interstitial vessels and lamina propria of seminiferous tubules is weak. The immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence revealed that Col IV, LN was strongly expressed in Leydig, Sertoli cells of normal testes and moderately positive in the spermatogonia and spermatids, but HSPG was not expressed in the spermatogonia. However, cryptorchidism, the expression of Col IV, LN and HPSG in Leydig, Sertoli cells significantly decreased, as well as the expression of Col IV and LN in capillary endothelial cells, but HSPG was moderately expressed in spermatogonia. Based on these data, the underdevelopment of spermatogenic epithelium, decreased synthesis function of collagen fibers and Leydig cells develop usually in the cryptorchidism were shown to be closely related to the abnormal metabolism of Col IV and LN. The positive expressed of HSPG in the spermatogonia of cryptorchid testes is related to the compensatory development of spermatogonia.(AU)