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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
Published on: October 13, 2018
Effects of isomeric fatty acids on reproductive parameters in mice
Carolina Veaute1, María Florencia Andreoli, Andrea Racca
1Cátedra de Inmunología Básica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.
Problem:
The aim of this study was to determine if dietary fatty acids (FA) level or isomeric FA type may affect reproductive parameters in mice.
Method:
of study Mice were fed for 1 month diets differing in cisFA (cFA) content or type of isomeric FA. Resorption, number of fetuses and placental cytokine expression were determined and sperm acrosome reaction was evaluated after induction by calcium ionophore.
Results:
Mice fed high fat diets showed increased fetal resorptions, a decrease in interleukin (IL)-4 placental expression in the first generation and an increase of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the second generation. In this generation, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) returned TNF-alpha to normal levels and diminished IL-4 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) expressions; males fed transFA (tFA) and CLA showed a lower rate of induced acrosome reaction.
Conclusion:
The amount and type of dietary FA may affect reproductive performance in mice by affecting sperm membrane functionality and placental cytokine production.
