PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the neonatal leptin treatment during the first days of life can program the male reproductive organs weight and the lipid profile. METHODS: At birth 6 dams were divided into 2 groups: Leptin - each pup was injected with 50μL of recombinant rat leptin (80ng/g BW, sc), for the first 10 d of lactation; Control - each pup received the same volume of saline. After weaning, all pups received unlimited access to food until 190 days of age when they were killed. Values are given as mean ± SEM of 6 animals and Test t Student was used to analyze the results. RESULTS: The leptin treatment resulted in a significant increase in body weight (Control= 411.8±16.31; Leptin= 481.8±11.29, p=0.005) and food consumption (Control= 25.32±0.09; Leptin= 32.42±0.15, p=0.0001) and a significant reduction in triglycerides levels (Control= 540.0±117.9; Leptin= 93.25±15.21, p=0.006) and in the weight of hypothalamus (Control= 0.234±0.016; Leptin= 0.154±0.015, p=0.007), pituitary (Control= 0.104±0.0120; Leptin= 0.033±0.012, p=0.003), testis (Control= 3.75±0.055; Leptin= 3.19±0.10, p=0.002) and prostate (Control=1.641±0.1389; Leptin= 0.91±0.07, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Leptin treatment on the first days of life can program the reproductive organs weight and the lipid profile of the progeny.
Lactation; Leptin; Organ Size; Rats
