Premium
Chronic gestational hypoxia accelerates ovarian aging and lowers ovarian reserve in next‐generation adult rats
Author(s) -
Aiken Catherine E.,
Tarry-Adkins Jane L.,
Spiroski Ana-Mishel,
Nuzzo Anna M.,
Ashmore Thomas J.,
Rolfo Alessandro,
Sutherland Megan J.,
Camm Emily J.,
Giussani Dino A.,
Ozanne Susan E.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.201802772r
Subject(s) - offspring , hypoxia (environmental) , medicine , fetus , ovarian reserve , pregnancy , endocrinology , biology , gestation , gestational age , physiology , andrology , infertility , chemistry , genetics , organic chemistry , oxygen
Chronic fetal hypoxia is a common complication observed in human pregnancy, impacting pregnancies across global contexts. Exposure to chronic intrauterine hypoxia has major short‐ and long‐term consequences for offspring health. However, the impact of chronic gestational hypoxia on female reproductive system development is unknown. We aimed to understand the impact of exposure to chronic fetal hypoxia on the developing female reproductive system. Wistar rat dams underwent normoxia (21%) or hypoxia (13%) during pregnancy. Postnatally, all female offspring were maintained in normoxic conditions into early adulthood. Female rats exposed to chronic gestational hypoxia (13%) during their intrauterine development had decreased ovarian primordial follicular reserve compared to controls ( P < 0.05). Adult females who had been exposed to chronic fetal hypoxia had significantly reduced somatic ovarian telomere length ( P < 0.05) and reduced ovarian protein expression of KU70, a critical component of the DNA‐activated protein kinase repair complex ( P < 0.01). Gene expression of NADPH oxidase 2‐mediated oxidative stress markers was increased ( P < 0.05). Exposure to chronic hypoxia during fetal development leads to accelerated aging of the somatic ovary and decreased ovarian reserve in adulthood. Ovarian aging is highly sensitive to gestational hypoxia, with implications for future fertility in next‐generation offspring of high‐risk pregnancies.—Aiken, C. E., Tarry‐Adkins, J. L., Spiroski, A.‐M., Nuzzo, A. M., Ashmore, T. J., Rolfo, A., Sutherland, M. J., Camm, E. J., Giussani, D. A., Ozanne, S. E. Chronic gestational hypoxia accelerates ovarian aging and lowers ovarian reserve in next‐generation adult rats. FASEB J. 33, 7758–7766 (2019). www.fasebj.org